Eggs en Cocotte with Couscous

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 0.5 cup couscous 
• 6 large eggs 
• 0.5 cup fat-skimmed beef broth 
• 6 servings grating nutmeg 
• 0.8 cup gruyere cheese shredded
• 0.5 pound mushrooms 
• 6 servings salt 
• 0.8 cup whipping cream 

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• blender
• ramekin

Directions

1. Rinse mushrooms; trim and discard discolored stem ends. With a knife or in a food processor, finely chop mushrooms. Put mushrooms and butter in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Cover and stir occasionally until juicy, about 3 minutes. Uncover and stir often over high heat until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
2. Add broth and couscous to mushrooms; stir, cover, and remove from heat.
3. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir couscous and season to taste with salt. Use hot or cool. If making up to 2 hours ahead, cover and let stand at room temperature; stir with a fork before using. Spoon couscous mixture equally into 6 ramekins (2 3/4 to 3 in. wide, 1 3/4 to 2 in. deep).
4. In a bowl with a mixer on high speed, whip cream until it holds soft peaks. Spoon cream equally into ramekins. Break 1 egg onto cream in each ramekin, then sprinkle equally with cheese.
5. Sprinkle nutmeg lightly over cheese. Set ramekins slightly apart in a rimmed pan (9 by 13 or 10 by 15 in.).
6. Bake in 450 regular or convection oven until yolks are softly set (press gently with tip of a spoon to test), 8 to 10 minutes, or until firm, 12 to 14 minutes.
7. Serve with spoons.
8. Add salt to taste.