Poached Eggs with Vegetables

For the last few months I’ve been going through a massive poached egg phase. I even order them when I’m out for breakfast at my favourite local cafe.

per person:
3-4 tablespoons white vinegar
2 fresh eggs
handful cooked or raw veg
1-2 tablespoons sauce, optional
pinch flavour highlight, optional

1. Bring a small saucepan of water and the vinegar to the boil on a very high heat.

2. Break an egg into a small cup and slide gently into the boiling water. Repeat with the other egg.

3. Reduce the heat to keep the eggs at a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes or until the eggs feel firm but not hard.

4. Meanwhile slice veg and place on a plate. Warm them up if you feel like warm veg.

5. Drain eggs with a slotted spoon and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Place on top of veg.

6. Sprinkle over sauce and flavour highlight, if using.

Variations

raw veg – asparagus, broccoli, broccolini, kale, cavalo nero, baby spinach, carrots, celery, parsley, mint, cauliflower, bok choy, snow peas, sugar snap peas, asian greens, cabbage, tomato.

cooked veg – steamed broccoli, mushrooms, wilted greens such as spinach, beet tops or kale, roasted tomatoes, roasted beets, roasted sweet potato or pumpkin, sweet corn, peas.

sauce – natural yoghurt, hollondaise, mayonnaise, chilli oil, pesto, roast harissa, BBQ sauce, ketchup, goats cheese, melted butter, burnt butter.

flavour highlight – mostly I love lashings of black pepper, chilli flakes, fresh chilli, parsley, basil, thyme, grated parmesan, curry powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, .

different eggs – when you get bored with poached eggs, try boiled or fried or an omelette. Even scrambled.

no vinegar? – you could substitute lemon juice or just skip it. It helps keep the egg shape but isn’t the end of the world if you don’t have any.

Leftover Potential?

Will keep in the fridge for a few days. But really they’re best when freshly poached.

Problem Solving Guide

too bitter / icky flavour – too bland? Be generous with the seasoning. And make sure you’re using the best eggs.

eggs messy – the fresher your eggs are, the firmer the whites and the better they keep together. The vinegar helps keep the protein tight. If your whites are going everywhere, it means your eggs weren’t fresh enough. They’ll still taste delicious though.

vinegary flavour or watery – sometimes the egg white can trap quite a bit of water so it’s important to pat the eggs dry with a tea towel or kitchen paper otherwise you end up with watery vinegar on your plate.

rubbery eggs – this is a sign you’ve cooked the eggs at too high a temperature. Next time be more vigilant in making sure you’re only using a gentle simmer once you’ve add the eggs.

eggs too runny – if your eggs were cold from the fridge, they’ll take longer than 3 minutes to cook. With practice you’ll be able to tell from touching the egg when they are firm enough. For a firm yolk, you’ll need to allow up to 5 minutes of poaching.