Ingredients

• 4 thick sourdough slicesat least 2 cm, so it carries a wet topping
• 400 g chestnut mushroomsmore flavour than white, and they hold their shape
• 25 g butter
• 15 ml olive oil
• 2 garlic clovesfinely grated
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 120 g Gruyere or mature cheddargrated
• 4 large eggs
• 10 g butter for toast
• 1/2 tsp fine salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. 01

   Boil the eggs

   Lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 6.5-7 minutes for a set white and a jammy centre. Move them straight into iced water for 2 minutes. This stops the cooking and makes them far easier to peel. Peel and halve just before serving.

   4 large eggs

   Ice the eggs immediatelyIt stops them at jammy and loosens the shell from the white.

2. 02

   Brown the mushrooms

   Heat a wide frying pan over medium-high for 1-2 minutes until very hot, add the olive oil, then the sliced mushrooms. Do not salt them yet and do not crowd the pan. Cook in two batches if you need to. Leave them for 2 minutes before stirring, then cook for 6-8 minutes total until the liquid has boiled off and the edges are deeply browned.

   15 ml olive oil · 400 g chestnut mushrooms

   No salt until they colourSalt draws the water out before they can brown, and a crowded pan traps it.

3. 03

   Add the garlic and finish the pan

   Turn the heat to medium, add the butter, the grated garlic cloves and 1 tsp thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not coloured. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and let it hiss away for 20 seconds, then season with the salt and pepper.

   25 g butter · 2 garlic cloves · 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4. 04

   Toast the bread

   Spread the sourdough slices lightly with the butter and toast them until crisp on both sides. Under a hot grill about 10 cm from the element for 1-2 minutes a side, or in a dry pan over medium-high heat. Toasting first is what stops the bread going soggy under the mushrooms.

   4 thick sourdough slices · 10 g butter for toast

   Toast before topping, pull the grill earlyBread grilled wet never crisps, and overdone cheese separates into fat.

5. 05

   Cheese and grill

   Divide the mushrooms over the toast, cover with the grated Gruyere or cheddar, and grill 10 cm from the element for 2-3 minutes, just until the cheese is bubbling with a few brown spots. Any longer and the cheese splits and goes oily.

   120 g Gruyere or mature cheddar

6. 06

   Top and serve

   Add the halved jammy eggs, grind over more black pepper and serve immediately, while the yolks are still soft.