A Little Comfort

Food for me is always more enjoyable when it has a touch of whimsy to it. A meal that brings a smile to your face, or evokes a warm memory always seems to taste better. I still find it amazing that a seemingly simple food can make you so happy. Recently, my obsession in this genre has been poached eggs. Something about softly poached eggs evokes the feeling of lazy Sundays and brunches with friends, a feeling that is always more than welcome. My husband and I made poached eggs yesterday, and he has certainly jumped on the bandwagon. He had only ever really had poached eggs while out in restaurants and was amazed at the difference it makes when they are done at home. The velvety texture of the yolk begs for toast points, and if done well, I think hollandaise or any other sauce is really unnecessary (not that I don't love hollandaise!). I guess this would be considered more of a technique discussion rather than a recipe, as it's a pretty standard procedure to poach an egg, but it's still worth noting. I usually have about 3-4 inches of water in a shallow sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (I like the flavor it adds to the final egg, in addition to helping the egg remain "together"). Bring this to a boil and turn down heat so the water is just at a simmer. Crack you eggs (the fresher the better!) into a small ramekin or teacup and slide into the water bath one at a time. For me, I usually cook my eggs for about 4 minutes each, as this insures that your whites are set, and the yolk will take on a lovely creamy texture. Remove with a slotted spoon, and enjoy with your favorite additions. Personally I'm a fan of the aforementioned toast points, sauteed asparagus or spinach or as pictured above with a pea, cauliflower and parmesan mash. Poached eggs- they're not just for Benedict anymore!