How to simply poach the perfect egg not only for breakfast but also for dinner or a light lunch.  This is a recipe that anyone can master.

* I am entering this old post  in Gel’s Kitchen Blog event, NTTC July 2009 Egg Challenge.  This is a fantastic and easy salad to make for a light and quick dinner.

I completely forgot about Easter.  We have been so busy and all of the Catholic signs flew by us.  Not only until today,  did it cross my mind, when E & M stopped by flapping their Palms from Sunday Church.  Normally, I love Easter.  It is the beginning of all things Spring.  I am usually baking hot cross buns, making marmalade, starting the garden, baking Masa;  not, this year.  Since all the things we love about Easter, food wise, will have to wait this year, I decided we needed to do something remotedly related to the holiday.  In the middle of making breakfast it came to mind, why not pay tribute to the “egg”.

The first part will be the poached egg.  Now, as  regular reader, you know I am not a huge fan of eggs.  I must confess, I actually like them.  They just have to be done the right way, which is, my way.  Laudalino, on the other hand, will eat an egg any old way .. poached, fried, soft boiled, scrambled, hard boiled.  Not picky.  A few weeks ago I had an incredible poached egg served over a bed of curried chickpeas and lentils, it was fantastic and what was so fantastic was that the egg was perfect.  I have been attempting to make the perfect poached egg and I have finally mastered it.

Poached eggs don’t have to be only for breakfast.  They are also wonderful for brunch, think Egg’s Benedict, as well they are fantastic for dinner, such as on a Pizza, over mushrooms, or even on a salad.  One of our favorite ways to have a perfectly poached egg is the classic French salad, Frisee with Lardons (bacon).

Recipe: Perfectly Poached Egg

1 egg

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

water

Bring water to boil in a shallow frying pan, about 2 inches deep.  Crack egg into a small dish.  Lower the heat on the water to a simmer and slowly slide the egg into the simmering water.  Cover with a lid and let sit about 3 – 5 minutes depending on how soft you like the yolk.  Gently remove from the water, with a slotted spoon and lay on a double folded paper towel for about 1 minute.  Put into a serving bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper.  Serve.  Eat.

Recipe: Frisee with Lardons

1 head frisee, cleaned and torn into pieces

6 bacon slices – cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons red vinegar

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons bacon fat, left from browning bacon

salt, to taste

fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Cook bacon until golden and crispy.  Remove from pan and left set on folded paper towels.  Set aside

Combine vinegar, mustard, shallot, olive oil, bacon fat, salt and pepper in a jar, shake to combine.

Toss frisee with dressing and bacon bits.  Set aside.  Poached eggs using directions above.  To serve put a bed of lettuce on a plate and top with two poached eggs each.  Serve with a nicely warmed baguette.  Serve.  Eat.