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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: 

1. 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). 
2. Set aside for about 10 minutes until you see a light film form around the egg. 
3. 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. 
4. 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 

The post How to poach an egg perfectly at home  appeared first on MyKitchen.

There’s an art to creating the fluffiest scrambled eggs, or the softest poached egg with gooey yolk. Our Editor shares his tricks to help you get it right every time!  

Soft & scrambled 

Serves 1  

In a bowl, whisk together 3 eggs and season. Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a large pan and remove from the heat. Pour in eggs and place back onto the heat. After about 30 seconds, use a spatula to pull the cooked eggs from the sides, swirling the pan to allow the uncooked eggs to hit the direct heat. Continue doing this with your spatula, creating folds of fluffy eggs in the pan. With some of the eggs still runny, remove from the heat and continue to fold using your spatula. The residual heat from the pan will continue to cook the eggs. Serve while hot.

Boiled & tested  

Serves 1   

Fill a pot about 3⁄4 way up with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, place eggs onto a large spoon and gently lower into the water. (Throwing or dropping the eggs into the water can cause the egg shell to crack and allow the egg to seep through into the water). Boil eggs for 6 minutes for a runny yolk or 8 minutes for a firm yolk. Remove from heat immediately and place into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Carefully remove the shell by gently cracking onto a surface and peeling back the cracked shell bits. Serve immediately.

Cheesy omelette  

Serves 1  

In a bowl, whisk together 3 eggs and season. Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a large pan and remove from the heat. Pour in eggs and place back onto the heat. After about 30 seconds, use a spatula to pull the cooked eggs from the sides and swirling the pan to allow the uncooked eggs hit the direct heat. (Doing this creates a thicker base for your omelette, preventing it from breaking when flipped). Sprinkle the one half with your favourite fillings and cover with cheese. Using a spatula, flip the side without toppings over to enclose, cover with a lid and allow to steam so the cheese can melt – about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the omelette to steam for a further minute before transferring to a plate. Serve immediately.

Also read: Rolled herb omelettes with hake

Perfectly poached 

Serves 1  

Fill a pot about 3⁄4 way up with water and bring to a boil. Add about 3 Tbsp white vinegar to the water. Crack one fresh egg into a small ramekin (this helps eliminate getting egg shells into the water). Once boiling, bring the water down to a medium simmer and, using a whisk, create a whirlpool in the pot. As the whirlpool is about to stop, tip in your egg and simmer gently for about 5-6 minutes for a soft runny yolk or 6-8 minutes for a medium-firm yolk. (It is the action of creating the whirlpool as well as the addition of vinegar that helps create the iconic shape). Remove the egg using a slotted spoon and place onto a clean plate. Season and serve immediately.

Sunny fried crispy eggs 

Serves 1  

Heat 1 Tbsp each butter and oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Swirl it around to coat the entire pan and crack the egg in the pan. Fry the egg for about 2-3 minutes for a soft yolk and 3-4 minutes for a medium yolk. Spoon the butter and oil mixture over the egg whites to create the perfect crispy egg. Season well and transfer to a plate. Serve immediately.

Also read: Curried fried eggs

Recipe & Styling: Chad January
Photographs: Zhann Solomons  

The post Egg-cellent tips to perfectly prepare your eggs appeared first on MyKitchen.

Our food stylist Sjaan van der Ploeg picks Amerae Vercueil’s brain – a powerhouse foodie and author of Food That Loves You Back – for an easy recipe that showcases the versatility of veggies in a way that everyone will want to sink their teeth into. 

SERVES 2

TOTAL TIME 15 MINUTES

Ingredients

FOR THE GREEN FALAFEL MIXTURE 

2 Tbsp olive oil, for frying 
2 Tbsp sesame seeds 
2 tsp cumin seeds or 1 tsp ground cumin 
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves 
ó onions, finely chopped 
1 handful leafy herbs (coriander, flat-leaf or curly parsley, dill, chives)
1 can (400 g) chickpeas, drained, brine reserved 
3 Tbsp tahini 
1 tsp pink salt and black pepper, to taste 

FOR THE REST 

ó cup plain yoghurt or (V) coconut yoghurt 
2 Tbsp tahini 
Pink salt and black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil 
Rosa or cherry tomatoes (yellow or red)
ó cup canned chickpeas, drained 
2 eggs, poached or fried
1 cup green falafel mixture 
Baby spinach leaves or leafy herbs of your choice 

Method 

FOR THE GREEN FALAFEL MIXTURE 

1. Heat the oil in a small pan over low heat and toast the sesame and cumin seeds (or ground cumin) for 1 minute. Set aside.
2. Place the spinach leaves, chopped onion and herbs in a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds.
3. Add the chickpeas and pulse to a crumb-like texture. Add the toasted seeds and pulse.
4. Add the tahini and 2 Tbsp of reserved chickpea brine (known as aquafaba) and process until the mixture is just fi rm enough to shape into patties. (Add more brine or water if necessary.) Season to taste with salt and black pepper. If making ahead, place in a covered container in the fridge.

FOR THE YOGHURT-TAHINI SAUCE 

1. Combine the yoghurt and tahini in a small bowl, adding 1–2 Tbsp water, if it seems too thick. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium-high heat and fry the tomatoes and chickpeas until warmed through and just taking on some colour.
3. Poach or fry the eggs according to your preference.
4. For each serving, spread 2–3 Tbsp of the yoghurt-tahini sauce on a plate.
5. To make the ‘soil’, sprinkle over half a cup of the green falafel mixture, then add the warm tomatoes and chickpeas, and top with an egg.
6. Season to taste and garnish with baby spinach or leafy herbs.

TIP: Instead of tahini, combine the yoghurt with 2 Tbsp sesame oil or olive oil or mayonnaise. 

The post Green falafel ‘soil’ with yoghurt tahini sauce and poached eggs appeared first on MyKitchen.

This recipe may take some extra work in the kitchen, but trust us, it will be so worth it. You’ll never enjoy poached eggs the same again!

SERVES 2 // COOK TIME 1 hour 5 min

INGREDIENTS
2 medium beetroots, halved and peeled
1½ L water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
2 tbsp coconut oil
Salt and black pepper
400 g tin cannellini beans
1 tbsp tahini
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp vinegar
4 eggs
Coriander, to serve

METHOD
1. Place the beetroots and water in a large pot. Cook for 1 hour, until tender. Remove beetroots from the pot and allow them to cool.
2. Squeeze any liquid from the grated potatoes. Add coconut oil and seasoning, and stir to combine well.
3. In a non-stick frying pan, cook 2 tbsp potato mixture at a time for 3–4 minutes on each side.
4. Place the cooked beetroot, beans, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and seasoning in a blender. Blitz until smooth.
5. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add the vinegar. Stir the water to create a whirlpool, then crack in an egg and cook for 6 minutes. Repeat.
6. To serve, spread bean pâté on a potato fritter and top with a poached egg. Sprinkle with fresh coriander.

This twice-baked egg and mushroom potatoes recipe is a great hangover cure! it might take a bit of prep, but trust us it’s worth it!

The post Poached eggs, potato fritters and beetroot-bean pâté appeared first on MyKitchen.

Practice your plating up skills with this amazing Mediterranean-inspired poached trout on flatbread with olives, feta and red onion. It’s the perfect starter for when you have guests over.

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 45 min

INGREDIENTS
For the poached trout
1 L milk
5 pink peppercorns
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt
200 g trout
For the flatbreads
1 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
½ cup water
⅓ cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing
To serve
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp sugar
¼ cup kalamata olives
1 feta disc, crumbled

METHOD
For the poached trout
1. Bring milk, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
2. Gently lower the trout into the milk and cover with a lid. Poach for 5 minutes.
3. Allow to cool in the milk for 15 minutes.
For the flatbreads
1. Preheat oven to 220°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add water and oil. Mix until a dough forms.
3. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Divide into 2 portions and roll out into thin 20 × 10 cm ovals.
4. Transfer to the baking tray and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until crispy and golden.
5. Combine red onion, vinegar and sugar. Allow to stand for a few minutes so that the sugar can dissolve.
6. Serve the trout, pickled onions, olives and feta on the flatbread.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto & Sean Dollery

The post Poached trout on flatbread with olives, feta & red onion appeared first on MyKitchen.