To Poach Eggs

A historical recipe from Many Ways for Cooking Eggs, by S. T. Rorer.

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A historical recipe

Many Ways for Cooking Eggs, by S. T. Rorer. Project Gutenberg eBook #6429.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

Ingredients 1 ingredient

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

Hot oil. Never put water on an oil fire: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp tea towel. Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently, away from you.
Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Use a shallow frying pan partly filled with boiling water.
The eggs must be perfectly fresh.
The white of an egg is held in a membrane which seems to lose its tenacity after the egg is three days old.
Such an egg, when dropped into boiling water, spreads out;
that is, it does not retain its shape.
When ready to poach eggs, take the required number to the stove.
The water must be boiling hot, but not actually bubbling.
Break an egg into a saucer, slide it quickly into the water, and then another and another.
Pull the pan to the side of the stove, where the water cannot possibly boil.
With a tablespoon, baste the water over the yolks of the eggs, if they happen to be exposed.
They must be entirely covered with a thin veil of the white.
Have ready the desired quantity of toast on a heated platter, lift each egg with a slice or skimmer, trim off the ragged edges and slide them at once on the toast.
Dust with salt and pepper, baste with melted butter, and send to the table.