Perfect Poached Eggs

Poached eggs are delicate and beautiful spheres of soft whites and runny, yellow yolks that are wonderful served with avocados or smoked salmon. If you’ve tried making poached eggs before but found them to be too stringy or runny then you have to read my top 3 tips for getting perfect results every time:

1. Strain each egg in a small sieve to drain off the loosest egg whites, this will stop the stringiness.
2. Do NOT use salt in the water, salt causes the eggs to be stringy.
3. Swirl the water using a metal spoon, it will create a tighter vortex.

INGREDIENTS
fresh free range eggs
1 litre water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan then reduce the heat so that no bubbles are breaking the surface of the water. Crack each egg into a small sieve over a bowl and drain off any runny whites. Carefully tip each drained egg into a ramekin.
• Once you have all the eggs you want in individual ramekins add the vinegar to the water then stir the water quickly, in one direction, with a metal spoon.
• Carefully tip the egg out of one ramekin into the centre of the saucepan and set a timer (medium eggs: 3 minutes, large eggs: 3 1/2 minutes).
• Once the timer goes, carefully lift the egg out of the water with a slotted spoon and place onto a piece of kitchen roll kept close to the heat of the cooker. Repeat the process with the second egg then serve (for 4 eggs I use two saucepans so that I can do 2 eggs at a time and the eggs stay hot).