Poached Eggs on Toast
I’ve fallen into a poached egg rut – the very best kind of rut to be in, I’d argue. I picked up a dozen eggs prettier than a box of chocolates, in shades of pale green hostas and blue hydrangeas among speckled brown, toast and ecru. (Sorry, got a little Martha there on y’all.) They’re at the Kingsland market, from Noble Meadows Farm, where it must be said they have THE most amazing goat feta, made right on their farm, from their herd of goats, in Nobleford, Alberta. (Just typing that, I had to go downstairs and nibble a few cubes straight from their brine in open fridge, Nigella-style.) If you go, do yourself a favour and pick up a pack of spreadable goat cheese with apricot jam, then plant yourself on your couch with your sister and a package of crackers.
I picked up a 6-pack of duck eggs, too – from Greens, Eggs & Ham – they’re like chicken eggs, only bigger and mellower, if you can imagine an egg tasting slightly different from the eggs you’ve likely become accustomed to over your lifetime. W was disappointed when we first cracked one and a duck didn’t pop out. After all, we don’t call our regular ones chicken eggs.
With my cold dragging its feet, I didn’t have much will to cook a proper dinner every night. I managed some – one night was lasagna, but I didn’t post it because I winged it, forgot what I did, and didn’t want to come tell everyone to do the same. We ate beef bourguignon with mushrooms and lentils left over from a photo shoot for an upcoming issue of Apple magazine. But mostly this week we’ve been eating mixed greens out of a tub, birthday party food, and poached eggs on toast. No-knead bread toast, even. I could never tire of the combo. I may have to cut myself off of it.
If you are among the millions daunted by the thought of poaching an egg, I posted a wee tutorial over at Family Kitchen.
January 23 2011 10:23 pm | eggs and Family Kitchen
Buddiegirl on 23 Jan 2011 at 10:38 pm #
Your eggs on that great bread look like a perfect dinner to me.
I love, love, love poached eggs, I don’t think I could ever get tired of them. Many years ago when I was young and single, eggs were a mainstay for dinner, one of my comfort foods.
I also love soft boiled eggs, but hardly ever eat them anymore. My grandmother made them for my sister, brother and me when we would stay over at her house and serve them in little egg cups, such a treat!
colesangel on 24 Jan 2011 at 12:25 am #
Love poached eggs!! breakfast lunch dinner or anything in between, they are good food. Also they go well on waffles. And also covered with cheese. I’m with W on the duck-in-the-egg idea, it’s kinda too bad a duck doesn’t pop out of the egg. Although I’ve had ostrich eggs too and I’d be VERY surprised if I cracked one of those open and a baby ostrich fell out! (also, they make good poached eggs too, although you need a bigger pot and a hungry friend to help you) poached eggs yum!
katb on 24 Jan 2011 at 4:34 am #
Mmm poached eggs. I’ve had poached egg on toast a lot since I had the revelation that I can poach a single egg in a mug of boiling hot water in the microwave. A filling and healthy meal-for-one that can be ready to eat in merely minutes
Lana in South Mountain (ON) on 24 Jan 2011 at 6:20 am #
I, too, LOVE poached eggs especially on that kind of white, crusty bread. We are meant to have turkey dinner leftovers for supper tonight, but I have just decided to make a poached egg for myself! MMMMM…
Julie- you are an inspiration as usual!
Mary on 24 Jan 2011 at 7:41 am #
I love poached eggs, and recently went on a bit of a binge too, courtesy of a Daring Cooks’ challenge. I’ve just discovered your site through the Canadian Food blog awards page, and I’m so glad I did. Looking through your front page, I want to make everything on it.
Ellen on 24 Jan 2011 at 8:18 am #
I have to agree those eggs are gorgeous! You can’t get a dozen different colored eggs here where I live, it’s either white or brown. I need my own farm with my own chickens LOL.
LisaMer on 24 Jan 2011 at 8:22 am #
I love those eggs! I picked up a dozen this week, too! They look so purty in my fridge.
Erin M on 24 Jan 2011 at 8:43 am #
Those eggs are so cool. I’d have trouble cracking them open. I LOVE poached eggs on toast. My mom made them for us when we were kids, its still a comfort, can’t think of anything else to cook meal for me. YUM!
Elaine on 24 Jan 2011 at 9:00 am #
locally-sourced goat feta, fresh farm eggs AND six-packs of duck eggs just waiting to be picked up? I used to think that Calgary was sort of the equivalent of Chicago with regard to the types of markets one can find, but no. Clearly, it’s far superior.
JulieVR on 24 Jan 2011 at 9:10 am #
Wow. Now that’s a compliment to Calgary!
Vivian on 24 Jan 2011 at 10:03 am #
katb…I want to know more about the “single poached egg in a mug of boiling water in the microwave” process. That would be way less messy than the traditional method and would give my micro something else to do besides re-heating coffee.
jen on 24 Jan 2011 at 11:22 am #
Mm.. love the noble farms apricot chile jam! that feta is some of the best feta i’ve had too
i never get sick of poached eggs. my fave is over some steamed rice mixed with soy and butter..yum
eprairiegrrl on 24 Jan 2011 at 11:22 am #
Great timing…just made your warm lentil salad with bacon yesterday and my egg poaching skills are lacking!
Robyn on 24 Jan 2011 at 12:48 pm #
okay, the timing is uncanny. i just poached my first egg in tomato sauce on friday night! why am i so scared of poaching eggs? i just have to dive in!
Laurie from Burnaby on 24 Jan 2011 at 2:49 pm #
Looks excellent!
I cooked eggs this morning for a kind of brunch, but I didn’t think to poach them – just dropped two eggs in with the beans – I guess they poach more than fry, eh?
claire on 24 Jan 2011 at 3:58 pm #
I can’t believe how beautiful those eggs look! Swoon! Off to the market this weekend…
jake on 24 Jan 2011 at 4:30 pm #
beautiful eggs!
mmmmm, poached eggs on toast! My microwave poaches an egg in a coffee mug in 55 seconds…a bit of butter, a crumbled leaf or two of tarragon dried from last summer, maldon salt, fresh pepper, and a drop of water. A slice of really good toast (or a crispy english muffin to go). A house brewed americano. Breakfast (or dinner) in under 5 minutes. WAY better than the fast food options. A nice change from hot cereal.
Holly McJannet on 24 Jan 2011 at 5:05 pm #
Hi Julie, I want to make the no-knead- bread tonight and all I have in my cupboard is Fleischman’s yeast for making pizza crusts. Is that all right to use in the bread recipe?thanks! Holly
JulieVR on 24 Jan 2011 at 5:09 pm #
I’d say so! I can’t imagine what makes yeast for pizza dough any different…
Vivian on 24 Jan 2011 at 5:13 pm #
Thanks for the info Jake, I’m going to give “the micro-poach” a try.
Barb on 24 Jan 2011 at 5:21 pm #
Poached eggs on almost anything make a lovely meal. I’ll have one please!
Cheryl on 25 Jan 2011 at 8:33 am #
I’m addicted to poached eggs these days myself. Breakfast of champions, on leftovers.
Kimberley on 26 Jan 2011 at 11:30 am #
I do that all the time with recipes – wing it, then try to retrace my steps, then realize that it has to live as an experiment. And those eggs! They’re gorgeous.
Hope you’re feeling better!