When I was little my mom would make us “egg and toastâ€. This consisted of torn, toasted, buttered toast put into a bowl next to a saucepan of boiling water. She would crack an egg into the water and scoop it out onto the toast once the whites were set and the yolk still runny. She would then toss it all together and add salt and pepper so that every bite of toast was covered in egg-y deliciousness.
It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized she was making us “poached eggsâ€. To poach means to cook gently in water below the boiling point. You can poach lots of things; fish, chicken, veggies, etc. It’s SUPER healthy. Eating a poached egg is the exact same as eating a hard boiled egg. No added fat. One caveat though; you have to be in the runny yolk club. I hate cooked yolks, despise them. I like “dippy egg†(fried over easy) and poached because the whites are totally set and the yolks totally runny.
My husband loves poached eggs and it’s become a fairly frequent dinner option for us when I don’t have time or interest in cooking something more involved.
SO anyways: how to poach an egg
1. Start with a shallow pan (or a saucepan would work fine), filled up with water at least 4 inches deep. Bring the heat to high and crack your eggs into small custard cups or ramekins, each egg in its own cup.
2. This would be a good time to prepare your toast/fruit on a plate, so that it’s ready as soon as your eggs are.
3. When water is simmering (bubbling thoroughly and consistently), add about 2 tbsp. white vinegar. This will help hold your egg together once it’s cracked in.
4. Take each bowl and lower it gently into the water, pouring out its contents into the water.
5. Repeat with each cup/bowl/ramekin until each egg is in the pan (not touching).
6. Let cook approximately 3 minutes. To see if it’s cooked, gently pick it up with a slotted spoon. If you still see runny whites, lower it back down. Once you no longer see runny whites, it’s done.
7. Remove carefully with slotted spoon, letting all the water drop back in the pan. Lay egg on toast (or next to toast, whatever you want). Top with salt and pepper (snipped chives also taste great, if you have them), and serve!
That is poached egg HEAVEN!
How to poach an egg
1. Start with a shallow pan (or a saucepan would work fine), filled up with water at least 4 inches deep. Bring the heat to high and crack your eggs into small custard cups or ramekins, each egg in its own cup.
2. This would be a good time to prepare your toast/fruit on a plate, so that it’s ready as soon as your eggs are.
3. When water is simmering (bubbling thoroughly and consistently), add about 2 tbsp. white vinegar. This will help hold your egg together once it’s cracked in.
4. Take each bowl and lower it gently into the water, pouring out its contents into the water.
5. Repeat with each cup/bowl/ramekin until each egg is in the pan (not touching).
6. Let cook approximately 3 minutes. To see if it’s cooked, gently pick it up with a slotted spoon. If you still see runny whites, lower it back down. Once you no longer see runny whites, it’s done.
7. Remove carefully with slotted spoon, letting all the water drop back in the pan. Lay egg on toast (or next to toast, whatever you want). Top with salt and pepper (snipped chives also taste great, if you have them), and serve!
