Thanks to my CSA share, eggs have been playing quite the starring role in my life over the past few weeks.
When I buy eggs from the grocery store, I have no problem letting them hang out in my fridge for several weeks as I slowly work my way through them. (These eggs lasted me for six weeks!) With these fresh eggs, however, I’ve been feeling the pressure to use them while still at their peak!
My dad always told me: when in doubt, boil water … so that’s what I’ve been doing with these eggs! It doesn’t hurt that my favorite way to eat an egg is poached 😀
Ellie recently asked me how I poach my eggs. I actually have an excellent Revere-ware pan with six egg poaching cups that used to belong to my grandma … but the truth is that I prefer free-style poaching because I love the wispy bits of egg white that form. I boil a bunch of water in a saucepan and then crack the egg right into it:
I like my eggs “hard-poached” and not runny (Brandi and Olivia are probably experiencing a succession of massive heart attacks at that statement), so I usually let them cook for about 8 minutes. Sometimes I turn the heat down and cover the pot, and sometimes I just let it boil uncovered the whole way through. I guess it depends on my mood.
And a sampling of my poach egg perfection over the past week …
On half of a toasted sandwich thin with three-leaf pesto, all over 1/2 cup of habichuelas I rescued from the work fridge during the weekly clean-out last Friday:
Somehow, I always end up arranging my food in circles of decreasing size. I wonder if this is a habit I’ve developed to facilitate photography for the blog? I don’t think I used to do this!
I topped the poached egg stack with freshly ground black pepper, freshly ground coriander, and homemade grated parmesan.
The absolute perfect internal texture for me:
On the side, I had a teeny teeny bite of lasagna that I also rescued from the work fridge on Friday!
Poached egg on a sandwich thin, round 2 (with my CSA bok choy blossom centerpiece!):
This time around, I spread the toast with the pesto and 1/8 of a mashed avocado, mmmmmmm:
I could stare at avocado all day long …
One of the beauties of free-style poaching, this yolk decided it wanted to sit on top in a giant ball:
Again, internal perfection:
I can’t stop with the photos!
Finally, I incorporated the poached egg into Vani-inspired savory oats topped with a Brandi-inspired egg (though the non-runny part is Sarah-inspired, of course):
In the overnight mix of oats, I combined 1/4 cup Scottish oats, 1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano, coarse sea salt, a drizzle of my mom’s homemade herb-infused olive oil, and steamed spinach:
In the morning, I topped the oats with another fun free-style poached egg shape, 1/8 avocado, freshly ground coriander, and freshly grated homemade parm:
These oats were amaaaaaaaaazing — Vani, you’re a genius! — and I’ve been eating them for breakfast all week:
(That’s not a runny yolk! It just shifted in the course of photographic manipulation.)
OK, time for work and then more paper-writing all night long. This paper is due tomorrow, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can get it done! I miss sleeping, and you don’t even want to know what’s happened to my eating habits with all of this late-night work … but I’m hoping everything can get back to normal by the weekend for a little reprieve before summer session 2 starts next Tuesday!
Do you eat eggs? Why or why not? If you do eat eggs, what is your favorite egg style?
Tales of Expansion: Baby Butternut Edition 
I Love this post about eggs, although you are correct that I had a few small heart attacks reading that 🙂
I love eggs cooked your way, too! But when I want runny, I want runny! As long as the whites are cooked, I don’t care how running the yolk is.
I also love hard boiled eggs.
I could eat eggs everyday. They’re so good and cheap!
LikeLike
I’ve never had poached eggs but all those pictures look amazing! My favorite way to eat eggs is sunny side up. I like it runny so I can dip my bread in the yolk and then make a sandwich once all the drippiness is gone. Yum!
LikeLike
Thanks for explaining! I don’t eat eggs because I never knew how to cook them- anytime I tried scrambling/omelettes, I WAY overcooked them and they were gross… I love egg salad and poached eggs though, and fluffy egg white omelettes stuffed with goats cheese/spinach/wild mushrooms 🙂
LikeLike
I eat eggs occassionally, but I don’t crave them very often. When I do eat them, though, I LOVE them poached or as an egg white frittata 🙂
Great pictures!!
LikeLike
We eat local eggs, but my husband eats way more than I do – atleast two a day. I also hate the runny yolks!
LikeLike
I can’t make poached eggs to save my life! I’ve bought every little tool imaginable to help me, but I still can’t get it right. I do love eggs though, fried, boiled, scrambled…they all have their place 🙂 I’m with Victoria…no runny yolks!
LikeLike
Interesting overnight oats combo!
I definitely eat eggs, I’m a fan of sunny side up with a runny yolk over a dish that’s lacking in protein (because I’m a vegetarian). I’d love to learn how to poach eggs, though I would need a runny yolk.
LikeLike
Eggs are the best thing in the world. My fav are perfectly poached eggs with a runny center. MMMMM with nice crisp really good bread. Perfecto. I’ve never poached my own eggs before so I’ve been resorting to over-easy or scrambled. Still good. You can’t ever really go wrong with eggs I feel.
LikeLike
OH MY! You don’t know how much I just moaned reading that. It was inappropriate. I love avocado more than just about anything. And I adore poached eggs. Together looks like a dream.
Poached are actually my favorite, but I don’t know how to make them! I think I might have to attempt it today.
Or you could just come cook for me. Please?
LikeLike
I’m not huge on eggs, but that plate is absolutely beautiful!
LikeLike
I LOVE eggs, and your pictures just made me want one right now 🙂 I didn’t used to like eggs very much, but during the past five years I’ve grown to love them. I have always wanted to make a poached egg, but I’m always afraid I’ll mess it up. From your picture and description it sounds easy. I like mine runny (the yolk), so should I just keep it in for five minutes?
Eggs and avocado are a GREAT combination!
LikeLike
You are a brave egg-poacher! I’ve only done it freestyle once in my life and it was fairly terrifying, mostly because I was trying to fix fancy eggs benedict for my parents. If I were poaching for myself, though, Im’ sure I’d have to cook them through like you too. I just can’t deal with runny yolks. For that reason, most of my eggs take a scrambled/omelette form.
You’re making me wish I belonged to a CSA! (Did I say that right?)
LikeLike
yummy! i love poached eggs too…but i prefer them runny! i like dipping carrot sticks into the runny yolk 😀
LikeLike
I LOVE poached eggs and because I’m European, I love soft boiled eggs. Delish!
Good luck with your paper, you can dooooo it!
LikeLike
your eggs look phenom! i love eggs, from my head down to my leeeegs. i eat eggs because they taste delish and they are an ultra good protein source!
LikeLike
I love eggs anyway except fried….
LikeLike
i love poached eggs too, but i eat them with runny yolks! fun tip, if you add a good splash of vinegar to the boiling water, it makes the egg white stick together without as many long little floaty strands. like magic!
LikeLike
Hi Sarah
i’m afraid this quesiton isn’t related to your post today. I’ve had today off from work… and spen mos of the day reading through both your and Angela’s injury experiences.
the reasonf or my day off was due to this…
Thursday – niggling groin pain during run
Friday – more pain during run
Sunday – even walking i’m in pain
by Monday I couldn’t put weight on my leg. When I put weight on or take weight off it hurts. I’m distraught… i’ve never been so jealous of people who can walk without pain let alone run!!!!
I just wondered (I plan to do very little for atleast 1-2 weeks) how long it was until you could walk without pain? I have vowed never to be ungrateful for my mobility ever again! and for recovery i’d like to use walking with hand weights (once I can walk!) and perhaps put off running for maybe 3-4 weeks.
it’s miserable not being able to exercise. I realise how stress relieving it was and how I valued it to be able to have little treats through the day!!
any tips on how you coped? how you didn’t go crazy!? how you avoided weight gain? I’d be so grateful!
LikeLike
don’t stop with the photos they’re beautiful
i’m with you on the poached eggs… freestyle and fabulous (and NOT runny!)
LikeLike
I scoff at your hard poached eggs. Haha. Naw, I accept that but I personally like em runny. I fail at poaching eggs though. I’ve tried twice. Once it went all over the place, the second time it worked out a little better. I know, practice makes perfect. Your “tut” seems simple enough though so I’ve gotta give em another go! Especially since your poached towers look so darn beautiful. And honestly, they’re kind of making me consider going the NON runny way. Hmmmm!
The last picture is amazing. I want to eat that bowl now.
I don’t know my fav egg style… I usually go scrambled or omelette but I like em all!
Good luck with the paper!
LikeLike
I love eating poached eggs, but I’ve never tried poaching them myself. I usually go for scrambled b/c its the quickest and I’m impatient! I’ve totally made an egg, pesto, and avocado sandwich before, too and it was awesome 🙂
LikeLike
I love poached eggs although I’m definitely a runny yolk person.
Do you think CSA eggs taste better?
LikeLike
I don’t eat eggs actually. I don’t agree with the way that conventional eggs are produced, and organic/cage-free eggs are a little out of my price range. Plus, most every egg dish I ever crave is just as good made with tofu!
LikeLike
I like eggs, especially in poached form but I’ve never done it before since it seems complicated. but you made it look so simple, so I’ll give it a try!!!
I love all your savory breakkies!!! 🙂
LikeLike
scrambled for sure! I don’t like my eggs runny at all either though 😀
LikeLike
I’m so glad you tried the savory oats!! I love them!
LikeLike