Perfect poached eggs

Ingredients

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp white vinegar

• 4 eggs

• Thickly sliced toast, to serve

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to serve

Cook’s tips

• The fresher your eggs, the better! The eggwhite is firmer and less likely to break away from the yolk during cooking.

• Use a slotted spoon. This makes it easier to remove the eggs from the water and reduces the risk of breaking the yolk. The small holes allow excess water to drain away.

• Vinegar helps the eggwhites set quickly into a mass, rather than dispersing through the water. As a result, the eggs form a round shape.

•  It’s important to add salt to the water as it helps to set the whites. It also adds flavour to the egg.

• Putting the poached eggs on paper towel helps absorb excess water. This way, when you put your eggs on your toast, it won’t go soggy.

• If cooking eggs for a large group of people, you can prepare everything before they arrive. Poach the eggs, but cook them for a slightly shorter time than as directed in this recipe. Plunge the cooked eggs into a bowl of iced water, then refrigerate them in a bowl of water. When you’re ready, put the cold eggs into a large frying pan of simmering water and cook for about two minutes or until eggs are heated through.