Pure Egg Goodness

Much as I enjoy cooking and live to fathom depths of flavor, explore new ingredients and master the fundamentals of various cuisines; much as I love to explore and read and cook and eat, I honestly believe that some of my favorite dishes are the simplest to prepare.

I've been exploring the riches offered by a superfantastic little bakery in our neighborhood and last week I picked up a loave of their challah.

"What are you gonna do with that?" asked The Spouse.

"Toast it".

Sure, challah makes terrific French toast and is perfect for dipping into chicken soup but for my money its best and highest use is as toast, topped with a poached egg.

Now, poached eggs and toast is a delicious and pretty nutritious way to start your day. But for it to be really good, the yolks must be runny, so they ooze nicely over and into the bread, mingling with the butter and crowned by just the merest bit more than a mere bit of salt. Pepper optional.

When I was a kid, my mom had one of those aluminum egg poaching pans that had the little individual egg cups. The eggs would slide out, perfect little round shapes. Although the yolks were usually firmly set, which was fine because we didn't eat our poached eggs on toast, we ate them with toast. Whole different culinary experience.

I've never had a proper poacher but I have figured out the perfect method to get the eggs exactly the way I like them.

Poached Eggs on Toast

2 eggs
2 slices challah bread
butter to taste
salt to taste

Fill a small saucepan half full of water. Bring to a boil. (This is the point where I preheat my Dualit toaster, which is not an inconvenience because it pretty much acts as my timer).

Crack eggs into a bowl. When water has come to a full boil, gently slide eggs from bowl into hot water. Remove from heat immediately and cover with a lid.

Toast your bread. Butter it.

With a slotted spoon, remove poached eggs from water, making sure they drain well. (The moistness of toast soaking up egg yolk is very different, and far more pleasing, than the sog of toast that has poaching water on it. Eeewww). Place eggs on toast. Salt to taste. Add pepper if desired.

Poached eggs on toast can't wait. You have to sit down and enjoy it right away. Which I have for the last 2 mornings straight. Which is also why I haven't included a picture. Perhaps I'll try tomorrow, when I have it again.