Perfectly Poached

Poaching Eggs
Okay, here it is... the 5 (count 'em, Five ) easy steps to perfect (I mean, the right out of the gate, every time kind of perfect) poached eggs.
Forget everything you learned about the huge elbow deep pot of water... the clockwise swirling of the water...the dropping the egg exactly in the center of the vortex - it's useless. 99.9999% of the time, your yolk will become disembodied from the white... the whites develop into long snotty, cobwebs that would be better suited as a Halloween prank than as a breakfast item.

So, to be the poached egg envy of your friends, you will need a couple of things on the ready:

• 1 Medium Sauce Pan / with lid
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
• Water
• Slotted Spoon
• 1 Saucer for Each Egg

1. Fill the saucepan with about 2 1/2 to 3" water, place on the cooktop on high
2. Add the Salt and vinegar and Bring to a boil
3. Crack the eggs into the saucers
4. When the water boils, remove from the heat and carefully slide each egg into the water
5. Cover and let sit for...
1.5 minutes - Very Loose
2 minutes - Soft
2.5 minutes - Medium
3 minutes - Set

Lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon and you're ready to go.
As a note, you can make the poached eggs the day before and hold in a water bath until the next day.
To reheat them:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil
• Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and carefully drop the eggs in the pot for 30 seconds.

Since I forgot to do anything with the Jona Gold Apples I got on the last curb market crawl, I used a few of them today.

Poached Eggs with Apple Hash
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 Poached Eggs (use the above Method)
1/4 Cup Panchetta - Diced
1 Large Yukon Gold Potato - Diced, skin on
1/2 Fennel Bulb - Sliced
1 Large Jona Gold Apple - Cored and diced
1 Medium Onion - Peeled and diced
1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Tablespoon Butter
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Parsley
A "Finger-Sized" Bunch of Chives
1 Medium Sauce Pan - With Lid
Spatula
4 Muffin Rings (or other small Pastry Ring)
1 Griddle Pan

• Place the panchetta in the sauce pan over medium high heat and render until lightly browned and crispy, Remove the panchetta and set aside.
• In the same pan, add the apples, fennel, potatoes salt and pepper
• Cook in the fat until the onions are just translucent
• Add the chicken stock, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes
• Heat the Griddle on Medium High heat
• Place the muffin ring on the griddle and oil the pan with butter
• Spoon out the apple mixture and press into the ring
• Cook for 4 minutes, turn over and cook another 3 minutes
• Sliding the spatula under the ring, transfer to a plate and lift off the ring
• Top with a poached egg and drizzle a little parsley / chive oil over the top

To make the herb oil, Place the parsley, chives and olive oil into a processor and blend until completely smooth
Press through a strainer to remove the larger bits

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