Poached eggs are the epitome of a restaurant-level brunch or brekkie. The trick to bring this elevated egg to your own stove is creating a vinegar bath.
Get it perfect, every time:
- To achieve the perfect poached egg, crack one into a small ramekin or bowl and cover entirely with vinegar (between ¼ and 1/3 cup).
- Set aside for about 10 minutes until you see a light film form around the egg.
- Bring a pot of water to a light simmer. Gently tip your egg (and the vinegar) into the pot and watch as it forms a smooth surface, no need for creating the perfect swirling of water.
- For soft poached eggs, simmer for about 3 minutes (4-5 minutes for medium poached) then remove with a slotted spoon.
Serve it up
Toast breakfast or English muffins and top with spinach, avocado, bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Garnish with micro herbs and black pepper.
Stick-blender hollandaise sauce
Makes 1 cup
Finish off your new-found poached egg skills with another brunch classic: buttery hollandaise sauce. Our chef’s cheat: a stick blender!
Add 2 Tbsp milk, 3 egg yolks, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp white pepper and 1 Tbsp lemon juice to a jug and blend until well combined. Melt 3/4 cup butter until warm, then blend the sauce while adding the butter in small batches or a steady, thin stream. (If it starts forming a layer on top, stop adding in butter for a moment and add a splash of warm water to loosen the sauce.) Blitz for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until a thick yet pourable silky sauce forms. Season and add lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately or keep sauce warm by placing jug in a lukewarm water bath.
Why it works?
Blending the eggs and warmed butter forces emulsification to take place, creating a stable, thick sauce resembling a mayonnaise-like consistency.
Recipe and Styling: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photographs: Zhann Solomons
