A poached egg is like a choice piece of jewelry; it has the ability to make a normal dish luxurious. The contrast between ethereal white and thick orange yolk is sensual. (But if you’ve had one, you already know that.)
L: Smoked salmon eggs benedict
R: Fall veggie hash (sweet potatoes, acorn squash, onions, leeks, garlic, sage) topped with an egg
If you enjoy poached eggs but have never made one, try. The first few may not be perfect, but after a bit of practice, you’ll be ready to host a top-notch brunch (maybe for mother’s day?) Speaking of mothers, mine can poach eggs very well. I’m sure I called her a few times trying to remember her tricks – but now I’m confident enough to make 6-8 at a time. After coffee.
L: Winter vegetables (romanesco cauliflower, napa cabbage, carrots, garlic, chili) in a lightly seasoned broth, topped with a poached egg. Inspired by a breakfast at Nick’s on Broadway, a great place for egg-spiration.
R: Fall vegetables (delicata squash, onions, garlic, carrots, mild radishes, peppers, tomato) with sriracha hollandaise
There are step-by-step instructions for egg poaching on Simply Recipes. My method is similar. I don’t time my eggs, instead testing the egg with a very timid poke, and I err on the early side when removing the eggs, especially if they are headed for a warmed dish in the oven. I use a large skimmer from Ikea to remove each egg and gently shake off excess water.
Don’t forget that poached eggs can be great for dinner as well: on a hearty salad, bean stew, warm lentil salad… How do you like yours?
I love poached eggs in Italian soups, but given the choice I’d have to go with your Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict. That looks DIVINE.
I must look for the Sriracha Hollandaise recipe.
It’s especially awesome because we caught, and my parents smoked, the salmon!
If I remember correctly, the Sriracha hollandaise was just one of the hollandaise recipes from Joy of Cooking with some added sriracha.