Thursday, March 26, 2009

fresh eggs 101

more signs of spring are slowly creeping into our lives. The arrival of daffodils, forsythia, iris and eggs took place this month.

fresh eggs

Simple, easy breakfasts have returned... poached eggs and toast. When eggs are fresh, I think this is the best way to cook them. Poaching requires no added oils, so you can appreciate their flavor to the fullest. Poaching takes a short amount of time and no special equipment. A pan of slow boiling water and a slotted spoon are all you'll need to create perfectly poached eggs. Simply crack your egg open and use one half of the shell to cradle the egg. Bring the shell down to the water's edge and slide it's contents gently into the water. It will sink down to the bottom of the pan. No need to touch it at this point, unless the whites are scattering too much, which won't happen if you're using really fresh eggs. If they do scatter a bit, just use the slotted spoon to gather them up close to the yolk. Boil for 2-5 minutes, depending on how firm you like your yolk. Most days I like a 4 minute egg. With these small banty eggs this creates a slightly firm yolk. When the egg(s) float to the top, they're soft poached. They'll float up in 3 minutes with the banty eggs. Make sure you use the slotted spoon to fish them from the water.

breakfast

Creating a breakfast suited for company?... or want something special?... poaching is the first step to fabulous dishes like Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine or ...Eggs Maryland, Waldorf Style Eggs, Norwegian Eggs, Artichoke Eggs, Eggs Blackstone, Asparagus Eggs or Country Eggs Benedict. Go ahead, you deserve it!

Now that you've become a pro poacher, you can poach nearly anywhere. Over a camp stove, on the barbeque, on your car engine, using a magnifying glass in the sun. Anywhere you can boil water, you can poach an egg. The possibilities are endless!

tulip

6 comments:

jazgal said...

Nothing like fresh eggs - I hadn't had much success with poaching, but I believe that fresh would make all the difference. I know many people who are getting set up with chickens now - it is very tempting to follow suit.
Love your photos - such a clean, calm view.
Not eggs, nor chicks, but here is a link to newborn baby cloud leopards - tiny!
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090326-baby-clouded-leopard-pictures.html?source=rss

Susan said...

Lovely bowl of eggs, Cindy!

So, your poaching method is slightly different than the other one I've tried with no success. No swirling of water, no vinegar added to the water. Hmmmm, I'll have to try this. Also, I've never seen it described how to tell the degree of doneness. Thanks!

That tulip is gorgeous against the black.

Susan said...

I had two poached eggs a la Cindy for breakfast and they were great! I loved the pure taste of the egg without any fat or spray taste to interfere.

I meant to say in addition that the tulip is luminous against the black.

Cindy said...

jazgal, I highly encourage backyard chickens. The ability to produce some of our own food just feels right.

love the baby leopard pictures and video... too cute!

Cindy said...

Susan, so glad to hear you had success with my poaching method! Thanks for writing back to let me know.

jazgal said...

I will have to give the poaching process a try later this week - but need a few days between my next egg meal - OD'd this weekend at the family gathering. :) I have had disappointing results with the vinegar and poaching cups too, but this method seems so straight forward.
I'll keep an open mind about raising chickens. It'll have to be vicariously for time being.
Thought you might like the baby leopards!