Technique: A Hack for Perfectly Poached Eggs

I love, love, love poached eggs. I love the runny yolk on just about anything starting from breakfast, to vegetables, to leftovers. Many people fear the "home poach" and so they miss out on many an yolky recipe.  So here is a few tips, taught to me by my mother well before I could cook anything else, on poaching the perfect egg.

1) Start with a shallow pan and fill it with water (I usually poach eggs in a 2-quart saucepan filled with 2-3 inches of water.)

2)Add a splash of vinegar (1-2 Tbs.) to help hold the whites together.

3) Bring the water to a gentle simmer, then crack the eggs into the water.A fast simmer or a boil with break the eggs apart. I find that four minutes gives me an egg with firm whites and a runny yolk. Four and a half minutes is perfect if you want a yolk that's just starting to set. Five minutes works for times when I want a set yolk that is still custardy and soft.

Additional Tips

• Use fresh eggs! The fresher the egg the more it will stay in tact when you simmer it.

• Serve it HOT! Nothing worse than cold, runny eggs.

Voila! Breakfast is served.