Poached Eggs
Instructions:
A poached egg in its natural form—with ragged edges—
has its own appeal. If you really want a perfect-looking
poached egg, trim away the (inevitably) ragged edges of
the whites with knife or scissors.
If you want to poach more than two eggs at once, use
a bigger pan to avoid crowding. To make poached eggs in
multiple batches, keep a second, large pot of water warm
over very low heat. Make sure the temperature hovers
between 145 F and 150 F; as the eggs finish poaching,
move them to the second pot of water and keep covered.
Fish them all out with a slotted spoon when you’re ready
to serve.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 eggs
MAKES: 1 to 2 servings
TIME: 10 minutes
- Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a small deep skillet, add the salt and vinegar, and lower the heat to the point where it barely bubbles (if you were to measure it with an instant-read thermometer, the temperature would be just under 200 F). One at a time, break the eggs into a shallow bowl and slip them into the water.
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the white is set and the yolk has filmed over. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow the water to drain off for a couple seconds. If you are eating the eggs right away, put them directly on the toast or what have you. If you like, drain them briefly on paper towels before serving. Poached eggs are delicate, but they can be handled as long as you’re careful.