Cal Peternell is now my egg guru. The four of us have gone from eating two eggs a week to two dozen eggs a week since I mastered the poached egg, omelet, and frittata he writes about in his book, Twelve Recipes. If, like it was for me, poached eggs seem like a daunting endeavor requiring a special apparatus and proper attire, be prepared to be happy. All you need is a pot, vinegar, and six minutes.
Perfect Poached Egg
6 minute cook time
Ingredients
- Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon vinegar (red or white)*
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Bring a lidded pot or skillet of water to boil (make sure it is large enough and deep enough to hold the number of eggs you are poaching; Each egg should have a bit of space around it).
- Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vinegar to the boiling water.
- Break your eggs into separate bowls (this is very important, so that each egg stays together with its whites).
- GENTLY pour your eggs into your pot, shut the flame immediately and cover with lid.
- Set your timer for six minutes (this will yield a semi-soft yolk that won't be runny; add more or less time per your preference).
- Set out a plate with a terry cloth on top.
- At the end of six minutes, scoop out the eggs with a slotted spoon and place them on the cloth. Gently place another cloth over your egg and wick away any remaining water.
- Serve on toast, atop a salad, in a bowl of beans, or wherever else your imagination takes you. The pictures on this post feature a poached egg atop a toasted rice cake with melted muenster cheese and salt and pepper.
Notes
*the red vinegar will turn your egg a light pinkish color
