It's funny how our palates will sometimes latch onto something and stir a craving that often borders on obsession. This spring, what mine latched onto was the mild yet distinctive flavor and buttery texture of avocados. I've always liked them, but lately haven't been able to get enough of them—tossed in a salad, smashed into countless batches of guacamole, smeared on toast, sandwiched with bacon between slabs of sourdough bread, halved and used as a cup to hold scoops of chicken, ham, or tuna salad.
But while all of those things have their charms, arguably the most perfect mate for this unusual savory fruit is eggs, especially when the eggs have been poached. Though each is wonderful on its own, when they come together they're downright transcendent.
Far too many cooks are intimidated about poaching eggs, which is probably why there are so many different egg-poaching gadgets. But there's no need to be: the process is actually easy once you get the knack of it. And as Nathalie Dupree often says of making biscuits and pastry, all it takes to get that knack is practice. Eggs may fluctuate in price, but they're never so expensive that you should worry about messing up a few. So, following Nathalie's lead, give yourself permission to go into the kitchen, lock the door if you have to, and practice until you get it right.
You'll need fresh eggs for a perfect poach. The fresher they are, the better they'll hold their shape when they're dropped into the water. Beyond that, all you need is a heavy-bottomed pan, enough water for the eggs to float and for the water not to stop boiling when they're added, and a slotted spoon. The rest is just paying attention.
Here are a few pointers to help.
• The eggs should be very fresh and at room temperature, so take them from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you plan to cook them.
• If you've not been able to let the eggs come to room temperature before you need to cook them, submerge them (still in the shell) in very hot tap water for 2 minutes.
• Choose a pan that will hold at least 2 but preferably 3-to-4 inches of water.
• Break each egg into a small shallow bowl first to catch any bad eggs or broken yolks before they go into the pan, and to help hold their shapes when they hit the water.
• The water should be boiling, but not at a hard clip.
• Never make a vortex in the center of the pan by stirring the water in a circular motion. This actually doesn't help the egg hold its shape but makes the white throw off more streamers, especially if the eggs aren't fresh.
• A splash of vinegar will help the egg hold its shape, but splash is the operative word. Too much will give it a harsh vinegary aftertaste. Should that happen, it can be fixed by rinsing the cooked egg with room temperature water.
• I also salt the water lightly. Conventional wisdom is that this toughens the white, but really, it's not going to stay in the water long enough for that to happen.
• Don't try to poach too many eggs at once. If you need a lot, cook them in batches (see the directions for making them ahead in steps 3 and 4), then reheat them all at once.
Perfect Poached Eggs
Unless you are preparing the eggs ahead, you should have everything else ready to serve as soon as the eggs are cooked.
For 2 to 4 eggs (1-2 servings)
2-4 large eggs
Water
White wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1. Let the eggs sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or fill a large bowl with the hottest water you can get from the tap, slip in the eggs (still in their shell) and let stand 2 minutes, then drain. Put at least 2 and up to 4 inches of water in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Turn on the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, if you're cooking the eggs ahead of time to have later, prepare a large bowl of ice water.
2. When the water is boiling, add a splash of vinegar and a pinch of salt. One at a time, break the eggs into a small, shallow bowl and slip them into the pan at the point where the water is bubbling the most. Let it come back to a boil and repeat until all the eggs are in the pan. Adjust the heat slightly so that water is still bubbling steadily but not boiling hard.
3. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still quite soft, about 1½ to 2 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon, draining thoroughly. If cooking them ahead, immediately slip them into the ice water bath until chilled. Otherwise, trim off any tendrils of white and serve them at once.
4. To store eggs you've made ahead, leave them in the cold water (refrigerated if holding more than a couple of hours), until needed. When you're ready to serve them, bring at least 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Drain the eggs and slip them into the simmering water. Let them heat through, ½-to-1 minute, then drain and serve immediately.
Poached Eggs with Smashed Avocado on Toasted English Muffins
Have the pan for the eggs ready and boiling, then assemble the toast and avocado and have them ready to serve before you cook the eggs.
Serves 2
4 large, fresh eggs
2 medium ripe Haas avocados
Salt
1 lime or lemon, split
Whole black pepper in a mill
2 English muffins, split
White wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1. Have the eggs at room temperature and prepare the pan for poaching them as for Perfect Poached Eggs above.
2. Meanwhile, split and pit the avocado and scoop the flesh out of its peeling into a ceramic or glass bowl, preferably with a silver spoon. Lightly sprinkle it with salt and the juice of half the lime or lemon, then smash it with a fork (again, preferably silver) until it is smooth but still has some texture. Season lightly with pepper, taste, and then adjust the salt, citrus juice, and pepper.
3. When the water is ready to cook the eggs, add a splash of vinegar and a large pinch of salt to it. Toast the split muffins until lightly browned, divide them between two serving plates, and while still warm, spread them with the avocado. Poach the eggs as directed in Perfect Poached Eggs, above, drain, trim, and immediately put them on top of the avocado. Lightly sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately, passing more salt and pepper separately.