Plated + Served: Poached Eggs with Seared Mushrooms
The weekend… at last.
Poached Eggs with Seared Mushrooms
Mama tries to serve up a good breakfast every day (the operative word is tries), but the weekends give me a little bit more breathing room to do something really deliciously creative, but relatively easy.
Deliciously creative, but easy. I like that phrase.
Poached eggs aren’t difficult to make if you remember to put some sort of acid in the water to hold the whites together. I like to use white vinegar, but lemon juice also works. Here are a few other tips:
• Use fresh eggs so you don’t get those long stringy white tendrils.
• Make sure the eggs are right out of the fridge… the whites hold their shape and the yolks are less likely to break.
• Crack the eggs in a little bowl or ramekin, not directly into the water. Using a bowl lets the eggs slip, rather than plop, into the water (and you can remove any shell fragments beforehand).
Julia Child
Here’s what to do if you’re cooking for a crowd: Poach the eggs in batches and place them on a paper towel on a plate to drain. To reheat them, gently slip them into a skillet of simmering water and remove with a slotted spoon.
One of Julia Child’s rules for the kitchen is especially true when cooking mushrooms: “Don’t crowd the pan!”
Mushrooms release a lot of water (besides the little tiny bit they absorbed when you cleaned them), so if you’re trying to brown them, cook them on medium-high heat in batches in a large skillet.
This is a great-looking, great-tasting, dish and remember: It’s EASY to do! Bring on the weekend!
Poached Eggs with Seared Mushrooms
prep: 10 minutes
cook: About 10 minutes
serves: 4
you’ll need…
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
let’s get to it…
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms in a single layer, with a little space in between. Do not stir.
Sear until bottoms are lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the mushrooms with a spatula and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from pan and keep warm.
Fill a large skillet two-thirds full with water (or carefully wipe out the skillet you used for the mushrooms and fill that with water).
Add the vinegar and bring the water to a boil; reduce to simmer.
Break one of the eggs into a little bowl and gently slide it into the simmering water. Repeat with the other 3 eggs, placing them in a different spots in the skillet.
Simmer the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes, spooning simmering water over the eggs (you can also gently and carefully turn the eggs). Cook the eggs until the white is opaque, and the yolk is still soft but no longer shiny.
Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel on a plate.
Place a few warm mushrooms in a bowl, top with a poached egg and a few more mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Cooking know how: You can use those silicone poaching pods or baking cups to cook the eggs, but I find it takes longer to cook… and it also means there is another utensil to wash!
Julia’s Rule: Don’t crowd the pan!
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