poached eggs

method

A perfectly cooked poached egg is one of the most brilliant things in the whole world! They can be a little tricky to get right, but if you make sure you use the freshest eggs you possibly can you shouldn’t have any problems.

Jamie's top tips

Use the best-quality eggs you can afford. Remember: the better the quality, the better the flavour.

You can tell whether an egg is fresh by cracking it on to a saucer. If the yolk stands up and the white isn't watery, it's as fresh as a daisy.

The simplest way to store eggs is in the box you buy them in. Egg shells are porous and can absorb the odours of other foods so try to keep them away from anything strong-smelling, like fish.

1. Get yourself a wide, casserole-type pan and fill it with boiling water from the kettle. Bring it to a light simmer over a medium heat, add a pinch of sea salt.

2. Crack one of your eggs into a cup and gently pour it into the water in one fluid movement. Repeat with the rest of the eggs. You’ll see them begin to cook immediately – don’t worry if the edges look a little scruffy. Depending on your pan, a really soft poached egg should take around 2 minutes and a soft to firm one will need 4 minutes (it depends on the size of the eggs and whether you’re using them straight from the fridge). To check whether they’re done, remove one carefully from the pan with a slotted spoon and give it a gentle push with a teaspoon. If it feels too soft (use your instincts), put it back and give the eggs a minute or two more in the water to firm up.

3. When they’re ready, remove them to some kitchen paper to dry off and serve with buttered toast and a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

serves: 2

ingredients

• Sea salt
• 4 large eggs
• Preferably free-range or organic