Description
Use and care:
Step 1: Choose a pan with a tightly fitting lid that is tall enough to allow the basket to stand with the handle positioned upward with the lid on the pan. The diameter of the pan does not matter, but the pan needs to be deep enough to hold the basket with the handle curved up and over the top.
Step 2: Fill the water so that the base of the basket is covered by about one-half inch of water. Do not fill any more than that or the cup will be allowed to float and possibly turn over in the pan. Note: The one-quarter cup wet or dry measure cup found in The Blind Kitchen is the perfect tool to use to make sure the water level is correct. The water level should just barely clear the rim of the one-quarter measure cup.
Step 3: Heat the water. Put a boil alert disk in the pan so that you can monitor the boiling activity of the water. You do not want a rolling boil, but just a gentle simmer. A slight rattle of the boil alert disk throughout the cooking time is exactly what you want to hear. If you put a lid on the pan, the water will come to a simmer temperature more quickly.
Step 4: Grease the inside of the poaching basket. You can use cooking spray or melted butter to do this. If you decide to use butter, use the silicone brush that was included with the poaching baskets to make sure the butter covers the inside of the basket. The egg WILL stick to the basket if it is not greased.
Step 5: Place your egg into the greased cup. Make sure you break it into a separate small bowl so that you can be sure the yolk is intact and there are no small eggshell pieces in the bowl.
Step 6: Carefully place the basket into the simmering water with the handle extended upward. Immediately cover the pan with the lid and monitor the activity of the water so that it does not come to a rolling boil – maintain a simmering environment
Step 7: Set a timer. For a runny yolk interior (soft poached egg) check your egg to be sure that the whites are fully cooked (they will feel sticky, but not feel wet to the touch when they are cooked. For a jammy egg yolk (medium poach) allow the egg to cook for 8 minutes before checking for doneness. For a fully cooked yolk (hard-poached egg) check for doneness after 10 minutes. There are many variables that can affect the timing needs for your perfectly poached egg, so trial and error will probably be needed at first.
Step 8: When the egg is cooked to your desire, carefully remove the poaching basket from the pan using the handle.
Step 9: Use a spoon to get under the egg and remove it from the basket. Season and enjoy!
Caring for the poaching baskets is easy. It is made of silicone so the egg will have a tendency to stick, so washing it by hand is the best way to clean it. If you pull the handle slightly off to the side, these baskets will stack nicely.
