Poached Eggs: For a Crowd

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On New Years Day we have often hosted  a brunch for 15 friends who have been in the mountains on a hike that involves snowshoes, stabilicers and drifting snow.. I love this hike and the brunch involved since it means I only participate in about one hour of hiking through the snow and then I need to head for home to finish preparations to feed this crowd of cold hungry hikers.  My wife is a determined, advanced hiker so the final food prep is my responsibility.  She is involved with the planing and preparation but on the day, she is hiking.

This is the best brunch of the year with a group of really special people.  The planning is important and the food needs to be hearty and special.  Fifteen people require items that can be put together in restaurant like efficiency.

Poached eggs are often involved and cooking them for 15 people might seem daunting but it is easy if you do a little work the night before the event.

I often prepare Eggs Benedict and guests wonder how all those poached eggs appear on the dish in such a short time.  The secret is that I poached them the night before and simply heated them for a minute in hot shivering water and then plopped them on the muffin and Canadian bacon to be sauced with Hollandaise for serving. Placing the egg on toast and proscutto is another festive way to serve them if the Eggs Benedict has become too predictable.. That dish is pictured and is equally welcomed by guests.

Poached Eggs in advance.

Ingredients:

Eggs

White vinegar

Ice

Water

Pre- event Cooking:

Put 3 quarts of water into a pot

Add ¼ cup white vinegar

Bring water to a boil

Turn heat down till the water “shivers”

Crack 3 eggs into 3 small saucers.

Slide the eggs into the shivering water one at a time

Cook three minutes

Remove each egg . Press the yolk gently to test.  Whites set-yolks soft

Place each egg into a bowl of ice and water to stop the cooking

Repeat the procedure with the required number of eggs for the event

Take each egg out and trim hanging white with a scissors

Place the eggs in a fresh bowl of water  and in the fridge till needed

Cooking  for the guests

Put eggs into boiling water  NO VINEGAR this time.

3 Eggs into the hot water for one minute

Remove eggs with a slotted spoon

Place  onto a muffin and Canadian bacon or on toast and Prosciutto for serving prep

Hot Hollandaise on top with pinch of paprika and parsley

Do this  if you are poaching the eggs for Eggs Benedict & add to the Prosciutto dish if desired.

Your guests will love either of these dishes and be impressed with your efficiency

15 poached egg dishes can be served in 6 or 7 minutes

There are more than poached egg dishes at the winter brunches

I’ll cover them as we move into the Fall season

In the meantime do poached eggs a few times for the family using the method I’ve outlined .  They’ll love the practice sessions getting ready for a big brunch

Details:

The vinegar helps to keep the egg white from spreading.

Fresh eggs work best

Use a slotted spoon to gently move the eggs off the bottom or the pan when cooking

The spoon also can be used to control the white from spreading.

I do three eggs at a time simply because that’s what I can handle efficiently

You may be able to do 4,5 or 6  Practice and find your level before trying it on 15 people

Have fun cooking for friends.  It is absolutely a great experience.

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