Longtime readers of this blog are aware that I am a major fan of poached eggs. I mean, seriously: not even the classic aji-tamago (mollet-boiled eggs) used for classic bowls of ramen can come close to the thrill of biting into an egg poached in broth – just solid enough on the outside, molten and oozy within. Yum.
I’m also a serious fan of eggs Benedict and eggs Florentine; the first when I’m craving seriously indulgent sustenance, the second when I need to amp up my veg intake. Either way, the egg (and, of course, the Hollandaise) is the clincher for me; criteria as above.
So you can just imagine how giddy I was when I saw chef Dominic Fasano‘s recipe for poached eggs in salsa verde in the Spring 2014 issue of EMMA Magazine. It took my favourite way of cooking oeufs to a new level: cooking them in a thick, rich sauce instead of cooking them in either water or clear(ish) broth. It is a technique that gives the eggs a whole lot of flavour, depth, and an absolutely mouthwatering richness.
However, I had a bit of an issue with Chef Fasano’s recipe: it calls for cracking open a jar of salsa verde to cook your eggs in. This sort of raised my eyebrows, seeing how in these cash-strapped times in my part of the world such an act would be seen as one of indulgence – but a rather ostentatious, wasteful one at that.
Now, I had a small cup – well, barely a cup – of picadillo left in the fridge from Sunday dinner and some macaroni cooked with ham-sausages in chicken broth. So, as not to waste anything and clean up the fridge in the process, I mixed the two together (quite delicious, actually) and heated them to a simmer over medium heat. I cracked an egg over as per the original recipe, covered it for a few minutes – et voila! Savoury eggs in sauce for breakfast!
This recipe is quite easy to make, a real doddle. You can use any leftover sauces or stews you have in the fridge: tomato-based ones such as picadillo or caldereta work beautifully, as do rich beef gravies or braised chicken. I daresay leftover Japanese-style curry would also work a treat.
Savoury Poached Eggs
- 1 – 2 eggs (1 if you’re not that hungry; 2 if you’re spoiling yourself)
- 1 cup thick, rich sauce or leftover stew
In a frying pan over medium heat, bring the sauce to a bare simmer. Carefully crack over a fresh egg or two and cover. Cook for 3 minutes if you want a runny yolk; 4 if you want a firmer result. Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice or with hot buttered toast.
Serves 1.