Poached egg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A poached egg is an egg that has been cooked by poaching, that is, in water. No oil or fat is used in its preparation. Poached eggs are used in Eggs Benedict and Eggs Florentine.
In modern parlance, the term "poached egg" is also applied to a different method of preparation using an "egg poacher", where the egg is suspended in steam, rather than being poached in water.
In India, the term "poached egg" often refers to a fried egg.
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[edit] Preparation
The egg is cracked into a pan of simmering water and simmered until the egg white has mostly solidified, but the yolk remains soft. The 'perfect' poached egg has a runny yolk, with a hardening crust and no raw white remaining.[1]
Fresh eggs will yield the best results.[2] Broken into simmering water, the white will stay clinging around the yolk, and the egg results in cooked albumen and runny yolk.
To prevent dispersion of the white of the egg, a small amount of vinegar may be added to the boiling water. Stirring the water vigorously to create a vortex may reduce said dispersion. Special pans, with several small cups, allow a number of eggs to be poached at the same time; silicone "poach pods" allow one egg to be poached without risk of dispersion. Other methods of producing poached eggs, such as using cling film to keep the egg perfectly formed have been documented.[3]
If the eggs are at room temperature, the cooking time is 2 mins 30s to 2 mins 40s. If the eggs are taken from the fridge then a longer time of about 3mins is required. Dipping the eggs into cold water for a few seconds immediately after taking them out of the boiling water prevents over-cooking.
[edit] Dishes with poached eggs
Poached eggs are the basis for many dishes in Louisiana Creole cuisine, such as Eggs Sardou, Eggs Portuguese, Eggs Hussarde and Eggs St. Charles. Creole poached egg dishes are typically served for brunches.[4]
Several cuisines include eggs poached in soup or broth and served in the soup. In parts of central Colombia, for instance, a popular breakfast item is eggs poached in a scallion/coriander broth with milk, known as changua or simply caldo de huevo ("egg soup").
The Libyan dish Shakshouka, now very popular in Middle Eastern countries [citation needed], consists of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ www.perfectpoachedegg.com. "What makes a perfect poached egg?". http://www.perfectpoachedegg.com/. Retrieved on 2008-07-26.
- ^ www.whatscookingamerica.net. "Perfect Poached Eggs - How To Poach Eggs". http://www.whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/PoachEgg.htm. Retrieved on 2008-07-26.
- ^ www.b3ta.com. "FEATURES: HOW TO POACH AN EGG". http://www.b3ta.com/features/howtopoachanegg/. Retrieved on 2008-07-26.
- ^ John D. Folse, The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine, Chef John Folse & Company Publishing, December 2004, ISBN 0970445717
[edit] External links
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