Poached Egg Atop Mixed Veggies
Egg poaching is generally a three-step process: first, you boil water; next, you crack an egg into the boiling water, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer the egg for 3 minutes, occasionally skimming a slotted spoon around the edges of the pot to make sure the egg isn’t sticking; finally, you use the slotted spoon to remove the egg so that you can perch it atop toast.
Assuming you don’t skip that all-important step of reducing the boil to a simmer, poaching an egg is pretty easy — you’ll feel like a pro after you’ve done it two or three times. But last week, I came up with a way to condense those three steps to one AND replace bland toast with a round of leftover veggies. Now I like my poached-egg breakfasts even better!
Poached Eggs Atop Sautéed Vegetables
Assorted vegetables of your choice, precooked as necessary (while you can eat raw broccoli and green beans, I think they taste better after having been briefly cooked for 5 minutes in simmering water)
Eggs, preferably from pastured hens
Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
Select a frying pan that will suit the quantity of veggies and eggs you’re preparing. (You want the veggies to form a solid layer from one side of the pan to the other, so don’t choose an over-large pan.) I used a 6″ crepe pan for my individual serving of veggies + 1 egg. The pan you choose needs to have a matching lid.
Drizzle enough extra-virgin olive oil into the pan to lightly coat the bottom of it and set the pan over medium-low heat. After about a minute — the oil should be fairly hot — add the veggies. Sautée them for 3 to 5 minutes or until they’ve browned/softened to your satisfaction. I sautéed drained canned beans, chopped tomatoes, and precooked broccoli for about 3 minutes for the pictured dish.
Crack an egg (or eggs) on top of the sautéed veggies, cover the pan with the lid, and cook for 3 minutes. Do not lift off the lid during those 3 minutes! The egg needs the trapped steam to poach since you aren’t fully immersing it in liquid.
Remove the lid promptly after 3 minutes. Use a heat-proof spatula to carefully slide the veggies and egg out of the pan and onto a plate. (The proteins in the egg white will have set and should hold the veggies together like a pancake if handled gently.) Salt and pepper to taste.
Break the yolk and enjoy!
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Tags: breakfast, eggs, gluten-free, poached eggs, vegetables
