Saturday, February 20, 2010

Poached Eggs


I love the weekend (when i'm not working). Get to wake up late, laze around and enjoy a good long breakfast reading the morning paper. In Melbourne, having brunch on the weekend is really popular. Most cafes are packed, and they usually serve all day breakfast. But if you're not keen to get out of your pajamas, then I suggest making your own breakfast at home (and also at a fraction of the cost of eating at a cafe).


My favourite brekkie is poached eggs on toast. Poaching eggs should not be difficult right? What is so hard about cracking a few eggs into simmering water? Well, my first few attempts were disasters! All I can say was that I had a really messy pan and ugly looking eggs.

Perfectly poached eggs should have firm white but oozy yolks. While watching MasterChef Aus 2009, I picked up a simple and smart technique to get the perfect poached egg. It is placing an egg in a mildly greased cling fim, twist the cling film and tying a knot. Then, poach in simmering water for 3-4 mins. After that, reomve from water and use scissors to remove the cling film.


Toast some bread or plain English muffins. Place some smoked salmon on the toast and top with a couple of poached eggs. Pour some hollandaise sauce and garnish with fresh herbs. I use Maille brand hollandaise sauce baecause I'm too lazy to make my own. Crack some pepper to taste and you are ready to chow.

Note: You can replace salmon with ham (eggs benedict) or with blanched spinach (eggs florentine). Or you could have it the way my hubby likes it, which is with the lot! (bacon, tomatoes, grilled mushrooms and sausages)

4 comments:

Bernie said...

Good stuff JoJo, these poached eggs are always the best!

Joanne said...

I've tried making poached eggs without any fancy tricks like yours and the result had been a disaster on occasions! Egg white all over the pot!! I've read about using vinegar in the water to keep the white together, (which is what they do in restaurants apparently) but it doesn't seem to work. How do the pros do it???

In the meantime though, I will try the cling wrap idea!!

Unknown said...

I hv seen a little plastic cup in a store for poached eggs:
anyway Bernard, you r very lucky=)

lee said...

I like the cling wrap idea...very good, I can't poach eggs but maybe I can make it work with the cling wrap! ^.^