Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms, Truffles and Duck Egg

Serves 6

• 1.5 recipe gnocchi
• 2.5 pounds mixed wild mushrooms. Create a mixture that balances strong flavors such as maitake and black trumpet, mid-range flavors like shitake or chantererlles, and mild flavors like oyster, enoki, or button mushrooms. Usually I use about 1 pound medium-flavored, 1 pound mild, and .5 strongly-flavored
• 4 large cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• 4 oz. butter
• 1/3 cup cognac
• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup light cream
• 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup creme fraiche
• 1/3 cup mascarpone
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• shaved white truffles (optional) 
• 6 duck eggs
• whole milk or more cream for consistency.
• Parmiggiano reggiano, grated.

Saute garlic in butter. Add all mushrooms and cook down. Deglaze pan with cognac, moving mushrooms around to thoroughly deglaze. Add parsley, thyme creme fraiche, light cream or mascarpone, and stir until you have a mixture that is reasonably liquid so that it will coat the gnocchi (or pasta). Add more cream, or some milk to get this consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.

Poach duck eggs in salted water for 2 minutes. Remove from water with a strainer and keep to side, allowing water to drain.  

Place gnocchi in shallow pasta bowls. If mushrooms have cooled, re-heat to bubbling, and add more milk if necessary. Evenly divide mushrooms amongst bowls. Shave truffles onto mushrooms (do immediately, as the truffles need the heat to activate their flavor--otherwise, they will taste like paper. I personally think the truffles are a waste of money that I won't do again, but worth trying once). Place one duck egg on each. Grate a little parmesan cheese over the top. Serve immediately, with cracked pepper and salt available for guests to season as they see fit.