PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant VBA_SCRIPT - assumed 'VBA_SCRIPT' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in ..../includes/functions_navigation.php(802) : eval()'d code on line 1 Perfect poached egg
I LOVE a good poached egg - the trouble is that a lot of the eggs you buy these days are not the freshest, so you have to get around this.
Here is my method after thousands of trials and years of research -works almost all the time (unless the egg is VERY stale).
Place the frying pan on the heat and fill with water to at least 3 cm deep. Add a teaspoon of salt (for taste) and 2 tablespoons of vinegar (to help set the egg proteins more quickly). When the water has come to a good boil place your egg(s) into the water (still in the shell) and gently roll them around in the boiling water for 20 seconds. This starts to solidify the white (in a less than fresh egg and helps the egg stay together when you break it into the water). Turn the heat down to low. After 20 seconds remove the egg(s) and stir the water in the pan to create the whirlpool effect. Break the eggs one at a time into the middle of the vortex. When all the eggs are in the pan turn off the heat and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Leave untouched for 3-5 minutes (depending on how you like your eggs) while you cook your toast. Lift out the egg(s) onto the hot buttered toast, top with a touch of tomato sauce and slice or two of parmesan cheese shavings and enjoy! Heaven!!!!
Cheers Freeeedom
When I was a kid, my mum had a frypan that had a (removable) flat roof with approx. 70mm dia. round holes in it. There were these little round bottomed trays with handles that nestled into the holes and the bottoms of these sat in the boiling water in the fry pan. The frying pan also had a lid. The eggs that came out of that did not look like a dog's breakfast and it was easy to clean. I think I might try to buy one of these today because I've been eating too many fried eggs.
MODIFIED
Found a pic of this (much more modern) version that will explain it better
Cooking a perfect poached egg without one of the devices in TonyN's post is the Mt Everest of cooking. My daughter, who is an apprentice chef came over one day to show me how, and made a complete stuff up.
Its the golf equivalent of a hole-in-one.....but my mother also had one of those plastic devices, probably Tupperware, and although cheating, made perfect poached eggs every time.....now, where can I get one?
warm some butter till it foams and the foam STARTS to brown
( beurre noisette for the cuisiniere's amongst you.)
crack your egg into the pan ,
you can use an egg ring if neccessary
and immediately add 2 teaspoons of a GOOD wine vinegar , red or white ,even balsalmic , doesnt matter.
Quickly cover the pan and let the steam generated by the vinegar hitting the hot pan "poach" the egg. turn the heat off as soon as you get good steam.
Season with salt /pepper and fresh chopped basil ,yum,yum
Tony,
There must have been a sale in Northen NSW of the anodised aluminium egg poachers you described about 40 years ago - my mum and grandmother at Byron both still have theirs. Most of the little bakalite handles have broken off my mum's though.
Trouble was you had to put so much margerine in the cups to stop the egg from sticking to the bare aluminium, that you may as well have fried them. The newer teflon coated ones are better.
But an interesting topic, as I love a good poached egg - or "bum nut" as a mate calls them.
I have for a long time wanted to know how people poach eggs that come out looking like the were just left to free float in the water. Stayed in a hotel in Jakarta last year that served them on the breakfast buffet as eggs benedict and I can tell you, benedict really did a good job of them - had their own little cut down personal piece of toast under them and the sauce on top. It soon became my favourite couple of days in the week when these were put out, but then some management type decided that there was a risk of catching bird flu from cooked eggs (WTF?) so they dissappeared.
Never got to see the method coz they were prepared in the kitchen and brought out in trays. The dude standing out in the restaurant knocking up omelettes and fried eggs never seemd to poach any.
Now having checked out szopen's link, I'm going to have to do a few experiments. Have never heard of using vinigar, so will have to try that also.
I have a vague memory of watching a chinese fella in Malaysia poaching one in a wok of simmering water about 10 years ago. I think he might have cracked the egg into a metal ladle, lowered the ladle onto the surface of the boiling water, spooned a couple of tablespoons of hot water onto the top of the egg to get it partly set, then released it to swim and finish poaching. Haven't thought about this until now, and have never tried it - might have to give that a go as well.
Hang ON! Hold the bus! The missus (phillipino) just walked in asked what I'm typing and explained how she would poach an egg - I have no idea why I have never asked her before, just assumed she only knew how to fry them; she just said she had always assumed I liked my eggs fried, so never offered to poach them. (Cripes been together 5 years, married for 3 and never knew she could do the free floater egg trick.) I've placed tomorrow's breakfast order.
Anyway, the method is - a frypan with a few inches of barely simmering water in it with a pinch of salt and a splash of vingar (wouldn't you know it). Crack the egg into a bowl and gently pour it into the water - sort of let the water wash into the bowl and float the egg out as you are pouring it. Make sure the water is not bubbling away like hell, or it will turn the egg into roadkill.
So, gotta see this. Could take pics I guess if anyone is interested.
Sorry Gorilla - but I hope your missus can't do it 'cos I just bought a u-beaut model (teflon) poacher yesterday . I'd be really pinged if the solution is as easy as it seems. I really like the idea of the ladle - what a brilliantly simple way around the problem of the curdled goop in the water. I'd also love to see the pics if you can manage it, Gorilla
Anyway the Rolls Royce method works a treat. I had 2x 800grammers this AM on toast with diced tomato garlic and basil. I also love em with tomato and baked beans or tomato and mushrooms - or The Works - Yum. I'm so glad that eggs are off the hook re cholesterol (and if thats since been disproven - please DO NOT inform me)
Szopen - this is the hottest item on Camping since "What Have You Smoked?"
take a suitable piece of aluminium foil mold it around a soup ladle, spray grease the inside & flatten the base slighty, put the egg inside ready to go
bring camp oven with a couple cms of water to boil lower the eggs in put the lid in & wait for 3 mins
the eggs just fall out of the foil & the only washing up is your plate which you already have hot water for ...
Have been a breaky chef for about ten years, keep it simple boys as it is very simple. Use a deep fry pan, as it is easier to retrieve egg when done. put about 3inches of water in it with a little white vinegar, bring to a rapid SIMMER, not boil, crack egg into cup first bevause if egg is off, the water will be useless. as mentioned above get a vortex happening, not critical but helps, gently pour egg into middle, leave for around 2 to 3 minutes, depends if you like them soft or hard. use a sppon with holes in it to retrive egg, drain off excess water or soggy toast will be a sure thing. It is a huge advantage to use a teflon coated fry pan or the egg may stick to bottom.
Jeez boys now i feel like bacon and eggs!!
Jewienewie
. I'd be really pinged if the solution is as easy as it seems. I really like the idea of the ladle - what a brilliantly simple way around the problem of the curdled goop in the water. I'd also love to see the pics if you can manage it, Gorilla
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