Poached eggs
aren’t just for serving
with toast or on top
of Eggs Benedict.
You can put them on
your ratatouille, your
homemade pizza, or a
juicy steak.”
N CASE YOU HAVEN’T
already figured it out,
poached eggs are good
on everything. They’re
exquisitely tender, their yolks become nature’s greatest sauce, and
their farm-fresh flavor is unadulterated because they’re cooked in
water instead of oil or butter. Basically, poached eggs are the best.
But because they require a little
more TLC than scrambled or fried
eggs, many home cooks steer clear
of them. But don’t listen to the
haters — you don’t have to be a
genius to make a poached egg.
Here’s why you need to master
them: Poached eggs aren’t just
for serving with toast or on top of
Eggs Benedict. You can put them
on your ratatouille, your homemade pizza, or a juicy steak (the
yolks burst into a sauce that’s like
a lazy man’s bearnaise). Their
velvety yolks were made for dipping asparagus spears into, and
they’re the perfect accompaniment for a green salad. Just follow
the instructions ahead, and you’ll
be well on your way to
poached egg zen.
EAT
THIS
HUFFINGTON
06.23.13
SHUTTERSTOCK / FOTOGROOVE (ASPARAGUS); RYERSON CLARK/ GETTY IMAGES (SAUCE PAN)
I
HOW TO MAKE POACHED EGGS:
NOTE: Blue italics below indicate when we’re holding your hand through the process.
1. B
efore you start, lay out a couple of paper towels on your
countertop. Then fill a mixing bowl with cold water. You’ll
need these later.
2. B
ring 3 to 4 inches of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 2
tablespoons distilled white vinegar. This will help set the
whites. Never salt the poaching liquid; salt, unlike vinegar, will
break up the white, not set it.
3. T
urn the heat on your stove down to low, until the water is
just barely bubbling. The key to making poached eggs is to
cook them in a gentle environment to prevent the whites
from separating. Once you’ve achieved this, maintain this
low temperature throughout the rest of the process.