I was first introduced to Poached Eggs when I worked at IHOP (yes.... I worked there...I was 16-ish) One of the chefs (okay so maybe IHOP doesn't have "chefs" but let's pretend) had made some extra poached eggs and asked me if I wanted them. I kind of turned my nose up at the idea but then quickly realized that they were just like over-easy eggs, after he explained to me how he made them. I fell in love with them but for some reason always forgot to order them at other places.
Anyways... I was re-introduced to them a many times, like when I realized that poached eggs were part of Eggs Benedict (which I love)! Carolyn asked me if I wanted to have some for breakfast one day while visiting and I said "SURE", and watched her make them. It seemed like a complicated process so I never tried to make them myself.... until this past Saturday.
I asked Joseph what he wanted for breakfast and he nonchalantly said "Poached Eggs", knowing that I had never made them myself and that they idea kind of freaked me out after watching his mom make them and Julie from the movie Julie & Julia. I said "Okay", I think he was kind of surprised and said "Really?"
So I got together my ingredients:
I knew I needed: water, vinegar, and obviously eggs!
To start off, I thought I would make one egg first to make sure I could master the art of poaching eggs. I heated the water with a teaspoon of vinegar to just a boil and them lowered the temperature to just a light simmer. I cracked the egg into a ramekin, took a deep breath, and slowly dropped the egg in the water...
I quickly nudged the egg white over the yolk to make sure it would stay in tact and put the lid on the pot, let it sit for a couple of minutes while it slowly cooked and "strained" it out with a big spoon.
I was amazed! I had done it... on my first try no less. I yelled out to Joseph to come see it.
And then I quickly sprinkled it with freshly ground sea salt & pepper and fresh chopped basil.
Yummy! I LOVE the ooey-gooey yolk of an egg.
I forgot to mention that I already had some things cooking like garlic roasted potatoes and bacon. Since I was very young, my parents would take the family to this little place called The Aurora Pancake House and after years of ordering "Little Pigs in a Blanket", my mom hooked me on "The Hobo" which was a skillet with potatoes on the bottom, topped with American Cheese, and (2) Eggs. I would get a side of bacon on the side and then chop it up and sprinkle it on top of everything (I'm sure our usual waitress thought I was crazy but she quickly learned my order and I now make this for myself as a reminder of home)
