Poached eggs

The swirling water gathers up the white

swirl the water with another spoon and then slip the egg into the middle of the pan

Slide the egg off a saucer

While you can make poached eggs using a purpose made egg poacher, it is just as easy to cook them using a normal saucepan or frying pan. The trick is to swirl the water vigorously first and then gently lower the egg into the center of the pan using a ladle or a saucer.

Ingredients

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• 1 Really fresh eggs, free-range if possible.

Method

1. No salt. No vinegar. Water, just boiling water and fresh eggs.
2. Don't attempt more than 2 eggs at a time in the same pan
3. Fill a small frying pan about 4 cm (1.5") with boiling water and lower heat to a simmer.
4. Break each egg into its own saucer
5. Slide each egg off the saucer into the water. Do both in a short space of time if you can
6. Wait 3 minutes...
7. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon
8. Allow each egg to drain properly, as soggy toast is horrible

Chef's notes

Don't let the water boil, it will break up the egg white. Don't stir the water again. Skim the white residue if you wish.

Serving suggestions

• Serve with hot brown buttered toast, using only real butter.
• Pat dry and refrigerate for later use in a salad.

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