Jamie Oliver is a culinary icon in the UK and no doubt knows a thing or two about cooking eggs to perfection.
When poached, egg white should turn firm while the golden yolk remains runny enough to ooze on the plate – a delight when mopped up with toasted bread.
However, poached egg fans will know that this breakfast staple is much more difficult to cook than its fried or boiled counterparts.
While many people call upon white vinegar or crafty poaching contraptions to master the technique, Jamie Oliver swears by a very simple method.
In a YouTube video, Jamie told budding chefs how they can enjoy “super, silky, gorgeous eggs every time” by following one simple rule.
The culinary guru urged: “The only way to poach the perfect egg is if you have really, really fresh eggs – end of story.”
As for how to determine the freshness of shop-bought eggs, warned against picking cartons from the front of shop shelves. “Don’t go to the front, go to the back and get your eggs”, he said.
Of course, nothing beats farm-fresh eggs. When farm eggs are shipped to supermarkets, they could already be 10 days old as farmers have this long to pack the eggs after they are laid.
This means that store-bought eggs are likely a couple of weeks old by the time you buy them.
To cook poached eggs as perfectly as Jamie does, first, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Next, reduce the heat so the bubbles subside to a gentle simmer.
The celebrity chef made an important distinction between boiling and poaching. Boiling will “smash the eggs all around”, whereas poaching is more “gentle”.
Next, crack one raw egg into a bowl before transferring it to the pan of water. Jamie explained: “If you have lovely fresh eggs, you’re going to win most of the time.”
Some people swirl the water and add vinegar before the egg, but it’s a step the chef doesn’t deem necessary for top-tier results.
For eggs that are soft and gooey inside, cook them for around three minutes. According to Jamie, the egg should resemble the delicious texture of “fresh, springy mozzarella” when cooked.
Plate up your egg on a nice piece of toast. Add some avocado for an added creamy flavour. Alternatively, add a few slices of smoked salmon.
