Top ways to cook eggs

Discover why eggs are worth more than their weight in gold with Dan Doherty’s top tips for the perfect eggy brunch.

1. Poached – Crack each egg into a small ramekin first, rather than straight into the water. Lower the ramekin into the water so it fills up, then, after 20 seconds (or when your fingers can’t take the heat anymore) tip the egg out into the water. Doing it this way tempers the egg so it sets quickly and, most importantly, the fall is shorter, so it is less likely for the yolk to pop out or hit the bottom of the pan with impact, breaking the yolk.
2. Scrambled – I like my scrambled eggs creamy and relatively smooth. Not ultra-smooth (that’s why I don’t use a whisk when cooking them), but pretty smooth. The trick is to whisk them well in a bowl first, then cook them very slowly over a low heat, in butter, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. Of course cream helps, a drop at the end, but that’s naughty…
3. Fried – This is a tricky one at the restaurant. To me, a fried egg is slightly crisp on the bottom, but with a runny yolk on top. I’ve served them that way and they’ve come straight back to the kitchen, as the guest was after a soft bottom, no colour at all. There is no right or wrong, but understanding how to do both ways is useful. Basically, for a soft bottom, use a little more oil, and cook on a lower heat, much slower, from cold. For a crispy bottom, heat a pan with oil until it’s hot, then drop your egg in and cook it quicker. Simples.
4. Boiled – Always put your eggs into boiling water, and start the timer straight away. You will get inconsistent results if you start your eggs in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil, as the cooking time will depend on how big the pot is, how much water there is and how many eggs you are cooking. For medium eggs from the fridge, I drop them into boiling water for:
   Soft -boiled – 5 minutes
   In the middle – 6 minutes
   Hard-boiled – 8 minutes

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