How to Poach an Egg
Eggs are a protein powerhouse. Cheap, quick and delicious - here's how to poach to perfection
1. Start with organic eggs. Not all eggs are created equally. Farm fresh is best but if you don't have access to someone who has chooks, go organic. They are a little more expensive but totally worth it; not only for the taste but because you won't be polluting your body with hormones and antibiotics.
2 It's all about the preparation. Like a good painting job, making the perfect poached egg is all about doing the prep work first. Get out a pot, a side plate, a serving plate, a dessert/soup spoon, a slotted spoon and a mug per egg you're poaching. If you're serving eggs on toast pop the bread in the toaster (but don't descend yet). Salt and pepper at the ready, if you so desire. I like to have my eggs on avo so I have that on the bench too. Put a couple of pieces of paper towel on the side plate.
3. Rolling boil. Fill your pot to about two-thirds capacity with water and set it on the stove. On medium, heat the water until you have a rolling boil. You don't want a frantic pot of exploding bubbles as that will tear your egg apart.
4. Cracking. Crack your egg/s into a mug ensuring the yolk stays intact.
5. Whirlpool baby. Use the soup/dessert spoon to create a whirlpool in the pot (stir up the water until it is swirling of its own accord) and pour an egg into the centre of the tornado. While the water is still spinning add the second egg. I've never had much success poaching more than two eggs at a time but you can do up to four if your pot is large enough (you just need to be faster than me at pouring them into the whirlpool).
6. Work while they poach. There's no rest for the wicked. While your eggs cook (about 4 minutes) pop your toast down, slice your avocado and boil the kettle for a cup of tea (organic peppermint is my flavour of choice).
7. Extracting liquid gold. Use the slotted spoon to lift each egg independently out of the pot and slide it off onto the paper towel. Repeat for each egg. Turn the stove off. One of my pet peeves is water with my egg so I gently pat any residual water from any pockets of white before sliding the little nuggets onto my toast.
8. Sprinkle and enjoy. I believe eggs deserve salt (I like pink Himalayan) and a little cracked pepper.
