Poached Eggs

Preparation

1. Pour hot water in a cast iron or Teflon-free, non-stick skillet. The water should be about ½-inch deep. Bring it to a slow boil over a medium flame. Add the vinegar and salt. Turn the heat down to low, so the water is barely bubbling.

2. Crack the eggs into the water without crowding them. Put a lid over the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Check to see if the whites are cooked through. If not, spoon hot water over each egg to finish setting the whites. The eggs are cooked when the whites are opaque and wobble-free. The yolks will be runny.

3. Using a spatula gently cut where the whites may have joined to separate the eggs. Slip the spatula under an egg and lift it off onto a warm plate. Repeat and serve immediately.

Ann's Tips and Tricks

Poached eggs seem to be difficult to make. There are molds, poaching rings, and all manner of kitchen paraphernalia to do something very basic and simple. The only purchase you really need to make is a carton of very fresh eggs. The white of an old egg is flat and watery, leaving the yolk high and dry and easily broken. The whites also spread all over the pan, explaining all those molds. When you break a fresh egg into a pan, the white is viscous and domed high around the yolk. These fresh whites make poaching easier. They hold their shape and cushion the yolk, making it less easy to break.