Poaching
No, une femme hasn’t been hunting stag in the Earl of Wibberley’s forest again. I’m referring to poached eggs, a skill which I’ve only recently mastered.
Mon pere ate two soft boiled eggs for breakfast almost every morning, so I’m no stranger to runny yolks. Our cat used to sit in my dad’s lap while he scooped his boiled eggs out of the shells and chopped them up, and would periodically flick his paw out and scoop up a bite, so Dad begain making him an egg of his own periodically. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt was (and remains) the condiment of choice on soft cooked eggs.
A few years ago while playing “food anthropologist” with my own eating, I realized that having some protein (and fat) with each meal prevents those between-meal blood sugar crashes, and eliminates that hunger-driven “when-am-I-going-to-eat-again” brain static. But making a soft boiled egg on rushed weekday mornings often feels like too much of a project, by the time you boil the water, cook it (4½ minutes), cool it, scoop it, chop it. Plus, soft boiled eggs don’t work so well on toast. I have a microwave egg poacher, but the results have been wildly inconsistent and it’s tough to get that perfect result of fully cooked white and runny yolk. A few months back with the help of our friend Google I started experimenting with poached egg methods. Here’s the one that works best for me:
Fill a small saucepan with water at least 3″ deep, bring to a boil. Crack an egg into a small cup or bowl. Once water is boiling, reduce heat until you get a medium simmer, salt the water. Slide the egg in gently, set timer for 2:00. When done, remove pan from heat, lift egg gently out of the water with a slotted spoon, drain a moment and enjoy over toast or alone.
Don’t forget the Lawry’s!
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I thank you for these instructions as I NEVER get it right.
Désolé, mais je n’aime pas des oeufs. Je n’ai jamais aimé des oeufs And this was no fun as a kid because I come from an egg-lovin’ family — we had eggs for lunch every Sunday of my youth. Urk. I will make an exception for migas or omelettes that are stuffed full of yummy things like cheese, but to this day I will still — like a six-year old — pick bits of hard-boiled egg out of tuna salad. Yech.
OOH! I’ve been thinking about this too! I grew up on hard, chewy “poached” (in buttered cups) eggs and have only recently discovered the wonder of the soft white-runny yolk with dry whole wheat toast. I’m going to try this tomorrow morning!
Sounds so delicious, Miss Deja. Miss J MUST try it.
My He-weasel makes me poached eggs. And, I am the scrambled egg maker of the family. When we want fried eggs or omelette’s it is best that we go out.
p.s. I read that the French put a little vinegar in the water when they poach their eggs. I am not sure why.
I’m with you on the “protein in the morning is a good thing.” If I eat my usual scrambled eggs with a little bit of cheese on a half of a toasted bagel, I am good until about 11:30. If I just have cereal or something like that, I’m looking rather hungrily at the carpeting in my office by 9.
I love poached eggs! Here’s how I do it–I have a very small saucepan and I put about 1 inch of water and a splash of white vinegar. As the water comes to a boil, I break an egg in a small bowl and get out the toasting bread or english muffin. When the water is JUST to a boil, I slip the egg in, start the toaster and turn the burner down to low. When the toast is done–so is my egg! Perfectly runny 🙂
Lately I am using black pepper and some fancy gourmet smoked salt from Wales. But Lawry’s works just fine 🙂
DejaPseu: Clearly it is an art – but alas, I cannot eat eggs although I love the smell 🙁
I tagged you for a meme so if you have the time and the inclination, please do write a response:
http://laviequotidienne.wordpress.com/2008/04/30/a-game-of-tag/
Thanks.