Here’s How To Poach An Egg Without Fear

Poaching may be the most intimidating way to cook eggs, but with a little practice, it’s actually a pretty simple cooking method you can easily do at home. Sometimes poaching is the best technique to use with an ingredient, especially when you’re planning to cook with something delicate like eggs, fish, or poultry. Poaching an egg doesn’t just prevent the egg white from becoming rubbery, it also turns the yolk into this rich, creamy natural sauce, and it’s healthy too, using no fat or oil.

Chef Gino Gonzalez of the Center for Asian Culinary Studies takes us through the egg poaching process, step by step, to make sure we get it right. Then he adds the poached egg to this simple green salad with rich creamy garlic dressing. When poaching, he advises to use fresh eggs as much as possible since their yolks tend to stay in the center. This makes it easier for the egg to keep its shape during poaching.

 

Poached Egg Salad

Recipe by Gino Gonzalez

Serves 4

 

• 2? cups ?water
• 2? teaspoons ?salt
• 2 ?tablespoons vinegar
• 4? eggs
• 2 cups mixed greens (lettuce)
• 1/4 cup? carrots, cut into fine julienne
• 1/4? cup? singkamas, cut into fine julienne
• 1/4 cup? whole kernel corn
• 2? tablespoons green olives, sliced or chopped
• 2 ?tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

 

DRESSING:

• 1 ?cup s?our cream
• 1 ?teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 ?teaspoon spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 ?tablespoon pickle relish
• 2 ?tablespoons? extra virgin olive oil
• ??salt and pepper, to taste

 

Whisk all the ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper. 

 

 

1. For the poaching liquid, combine water, salt, and vinegar in a pot. The vinegar will help let the egg set. Let the poaching liquid simmer over low heat. Do not boil. Create a “whirlpool” by swirling the water using a whisk or a wooden spoon. 

 

 

2. Crack one egg into a small bowl. Gently drop the egg in the center of the whirlpool while the water is swirling. The whirlpool effect will ensure that the egg whites keep their shape and don’t become a scraggly mess. When the swirling stops, baste the egg using the poaching liquid, keeping the egg whites in the middle.  

 

 

3. When the egg whites turn white, gently remove the egg using a slotted spoon. Set aside.  

 

 

4. Let the egg drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat the procedure with the other 3 eggs. 

 

5. To assemble the salad, arrange the mixed greens, carrots, singkamas, whole kernel corn, and green olives on a platter or in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with the dressing (recipe above). Top with poached eggs.

 

 

This recipe first appeared in FOOD Magazine, Issue 2, 2015

Styling by Pixie Rodrigo Sevilla

Photography by Paulo Valenzuela