Poached Eggs

In a greased ramekin in the microwave. So simple.

I bought the silicone things they didn't stick but I went back to my non stick frying pan, just enough boiling water to cover the eggs, a drop of vinegar but you need to use really fresh eggs then you don't get the whites spreading out.. I turn the pan off completely after a minute or two and just spoon the boiling water over them..

Katek don't you have to prick the yolk to cook them in the microwave? That was what my microwave booklet said.. and then don't they go hard?

I don't swirl the water, just slide the egg in from a cup into almost bubbling water and it's done to perfection. Don't use older eggs and it stays together nicely.

Katek, how many seconds do you give the egg to cook? And do you get the runny yolk?

I do mine the same as when I think it was a Delia recommendation to turn the heat off once the water has started to bubble.

Yes, you have to prick the yolk to stop them exploding. I also cover the ramekin with a paper towel just in case. It's hard to put a time on it as it varies according to wattage of microwave/size of egg. Try 30-40 seconds to start with and just keep adding 10- 15 secs until you get it right for your oven. And yes, you still get the soft yolk-lovely on multigrain toast and a bed of spinach cooked with oil and pepper.

Thankyou Katek I am going to give it a try later..

Pop them into boiling water that's had some vinegar added. Wait till the water boils back up again (it'll be frothy), and lift out the eggs. Always done to a turn!

I use the floating silicone boats - they do not stick - they are fine.

In a little saucepan, tipped on one side, in gently simmering water.

Sounds dangerous when I read it, so don't tell H&S.

I use a pan like your old one mrsmopp, quick and easy.
Cannot abide watery poached eggs...

Cooking eggs in buttered cups isn't actually poaching them.

As a coincidence, yesterday husband bought me a special large spoon with draining holes to lift the eggs out of the water.
I just use the boiling water method, and as ?Whenim wrote, the eggs need to be fresh then they don't spread.

Give them 10 seconds in boiling water before you crack them open. This ensures that they don't break up and/or spread out.

My husband treated me to a pair of the silicone cups for Christmas and I love them; perfect eggs every time.

I lift them out with a slotted spoon then rest the spoon on kitchen paper for a few seconds, which gets rid of any water.

However, DH doesn't like them so I generally only do one.
If I had to do four or more regularly I would get one of those shallow egg poaching pans (I used to have one).

What is it with these husbands who buy kitchen utensils for their wives - even for Christmas?

I'm not sure I'd have been thrilled with a pair of silicone cups...

Oh absent, didn't know that, so what are they then......
I have an 'egg coddler' (present ) and no idea what a 'coddled egg' is let alone how to use it! Is china, cup-shaped but no handle and has a lid with a ring on it- does anyone have any idea? again!

I have little paper bag thingies called poachies, made out of stuff similar to coffee filter papers. Cook for 4 mins in boiling water ,
then tip into the water and lift out with a holey spoon

ana reminds me of a conversation I had in a local shop last week. I asked the saleslady if they had any soup makers - no they didn't. However she told me about the kitchen full of gadgets that her husband keeps buying for her - some quite expensive! She said she doesn't use most of them, the latest was a potato peeling machine, she said it was just as quick to use her little potato peeler, and so much easier to wash up!

looplou my DM used to feed me coddled eggs when I was a baby/toddler.
I think they are. Like boiled eggs but cooked in their shells by standing in boiling water then the heat is turned off or steamed, rather than boiled.

I think the eggs cooked in a greased ramekin or similar would be classed as baked, whether you cooked them in a conventional oven or microwave.

Coddled eggs are like soft-boiled eggs. Break the egg into the coddler, add a dab of butter and season with salt and pepper. Secure the lid and immerse the coddler in a pan of simmering water for 8–10 minutes.

Eggs cooked in an egg poacher are not, strictly speaking, poached but steamed. They are sometimes known as buttered eggs.