Kitchencraft

Southland Times, Issue 23342, 28 October 1937, Page 15

Kitchencraft

POACHING EGGS IN MODERN STYLE (By SARAH) Poaching is cooking the egg without a shell in water or steam. It corresponds to boiling the egg except that the shell has been removed. In a well-poached egg the yolk should be covered with white, although the covering over the yolk may be merely a thin veil. The word poach comes from the French word “pocher,” which means “to place in a pocket.” In real poaching the yolk is pocketed or poached in the white. As in all egg cookery the most important rule to remember in poaching eggs is to cook them just under the boiling temperature, so as to keep them delicately tender. Eggs are a protein food

and, like all other protein foods such as cheese, meat and fish- become tough and over-coagulated at high. temperatures. This is especially important to remember when eggs are cooked directly in the water. Some people advocate the use of salt or vinegar or both when poaching eggs. They tell you that the addition of one or other of these ingredients to the boiling water helps to prevent the white from breaking. My advice is to use neither. Salt raises the temperature of boiling water and so toughens the protein; vinegar is inclined to discolour the egg white. SUCCESSFUL METHOD To poach eggs successfully use a shallow pan, such as a frying pan, and place in it enough boiling water tc cover, or nearly cover, an egg. Bring water to boiling point. Break each egg separately into a saucer or small dish and slip eggs into the poaching water. Set the pan off the flame where the water will remain at simmering point but will not boil. Cover the pan and allow the eggs to remain till delicately cooked —approximately five minutes. If the water does not completely cover the egg yolks it will be necessary to baste them with the hot water. In order to keep the eggs an attractive shape, use greased cutters or muffin rings. Rub with a little butter, place in boiling wafer, and slip eggs into them. Cook as directed above. Lift eggs out of water with fish-slice, drain, and place on a piece of hotbuttered toast cut into a circular shape, the diameter of which is a little bigger than that of the egg. Run a sharp-pointed knife round inside edge of cutter or ring and remove it. Garnish with paprika and a sprig of parsley. Eggs may be poached in milk, cream, meat or vegetable stocks. When this is done the liquid is thickened and used as a sauce over the eggs. One quarter of a cup a person is a good allowance. This week I will give you receipts showing different ways of serving poached eggs suitable for a main lunch or tea dish. __________