30 May 2013

the egg destroyer


Poached eggs - pretty easy right? All you have to do is crack an egg into a hot whirlpool, swoosh it around and scoop it out. Honestly, it's more intimidating than it seems (well, to me at least). But since I recently acquired Rose Carrarini's new cookbook How to Boil an Egg, I thought I'd give the eggs benedict/florentine recipe a try.

With my first egg, I cracked it into the whirlpool and stirred vigorously turning the egg into a hot mess in the saucepan which was briskly emptied into the sink - making a steaming hot mess. I used the cheater poached egg method (cracking an egg into a cling wrapped ramekin) for the second egg but that didn't work out as well as expected. I wasn't too sure about eating an egg that was cooked in cling wrap anyway.

Not giving up, I reread the recipe and I realised the fatal mistake I made. Stir gently after adding the egg, not vigorously. Urgh. Well, that worked better this time, but due to manhandling I sort of split the egg when I was transferring it onto the bacon. At least I can make a good hollandaise sauce! Mmm, butter.

Note: I didn't have vinegar which was required for both recipes, so I substituted in lemon juice.