How To: Perfect Poached Eggs (& My Go-To Pre-Exam Brunch)

Exam season has now ended!

For some reason, I’ve really lost my blogging mojo. If I’m honest, I’m struggling a little with the thought of not going back to university – I don’t really know what to do with myself other than mope about! Yesterday morning I realised there were plenty of things I do, every single day, that could very definitely be blogged about. I mean, what’s more instagrammable than #yolkporn?! (Fun fact: Instagram clearly knows I love those pictures as the vast majority of grams in my ‘discovery’ feed are eggs…). This is the breakfast/brunch/lunch that became my go-to before an exam. Full of protein, yummy and quick, it’s comforting and simple flavours means I can stomach it even with a nervous, churning tummy.

Whilst I covered poaching in my How To: Eggs guide a while back, I thought I’d go a bit more in-depth now. I know it took me forever to master then, but I think I’ve got it pretty much perfect now.

Poaching Eggs

Get a pan of water onto boil. I always bring it to a fast boil, then reduce to just a little more than a simmer once the eggs are in. Meanwhile prep the eggs – lay a piece of cling-film loosely over a ramekin or teacup, and spray with Fry-light (or lightly wipe over some oil using kitchen towel). I also like to add a teeny bit of black pepper – and having followed Jamie’s advice, fresh chopped red chilli is pretty awesome to, just maybe not prior to an exam!

Crack your egg into the clingfilm, then carefully twist the ends of the clingfilm to form a parcel. Using the ends, lower the parcel into the boiling water and reduce the heat slightly. Cook for 3 minutes (medium eggs at room temperature), adjusting for 30 seconds if the eggs are particularly large or have been kept in the fridge. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the water, and carefully slice open the cling-film with a knife (serrated blade works best). Serve immediately, drying with a bit of paper towel if necessary.

I’ve also found out this week (yesterday!) that the cling-film-egg-parcels can be made the night before, popped in the fridge, then cooked for around 3.5 minutes the next morning. Perfect for pesky 9am exams…

The Exam Breakfast

So, my perfect exam breakfast? As you pop the pan on to boil, throw some toast into the toaster and whack the oven up to around 100C. Once the toast is cooked, top with a slice of ham and place in the oven to warm and slightly crisp whilst the eggs cook. Top with the poached eggs, and enjoy the yolk porn! Also excellent with fried/grilled mushrooms if time allows…I ate a LOT of eggs throughout exam time!

What’s your go-to breakfast when you have an important day? How do you like to serve your poached eggs?