There are few things that I find as satisfying as a poached egg. The whites curl around the orange-yellow yolk like a perfect pillow or packaged present.
I get such pleasure of breaking the yolk, seeing its buttery gold run over the other ingredients, which is probably akin to breaking the crème brûlée crust for dessert lovers.
A typical Saturday breakfast for me is simple: toast, poached egg, and a guest ingredient. There are many delicious varieties to the guest attending breakfast: arugula, bacon, toasted nuts, or, of course, leeks. Leeks are mild cousins to onions and garlic and, like its relatives, best with butter.
Ingredients:
One leek
One tablespoon of butter
One slice of whole wheat bread
One fresh egg
Salt and Pepper (white and black, if you have both)
While I am making my stove-top coffee a la perculation, I get a small pot to simmer with a dash of salt for the egg. Then pop my bread to toast.
Leeks:
Cut the leek lengthwise to wash under cold water the grit and sand away in the drain. Then chop the leek into about 1/4 inch bits that look like stamps and confetti. I cut most of the white, tender green, and only a bit of the more fibrous dark green. Dispose the ends. Heat in a small skillet a tablespoon of good quality butter on a low heat and saute the leeks, making sure not to brown them, but slowly cook them. During this process I add a very little pinch of white pepper, which has a nice ashy taste, but not so nice if done in excess. Put the leeks on the toast, awaiting the egg.
The Egg:
Crack the new egg in a small bowl or container (I use a glass tumbler). When the small pot is simmering, take a slotted spoon and make a whirlpool in the pot by turning it clockwise or otherwise. While the water is still twirling, drop the egg into the center. The water should wrap most of the egg white around the yolk. (Mine often does not if the whirlpool is not timed right) Make sure that the water does not overboil. Wait about 2 minutes for the white to cook around the yolk, but for the yolk to remain uncooked. After examining it, take the little pillow poached egg with a slotted spoon and place it on top of the toast and leaks.
Finish with a bit of salt and black pepper on the egg. I like to cut into the yolk first with a dangerous knife.
