Perfectly Poached Eggs

Ingredients

- buttered toast

- asparagus

- poached eggs* (see below)

- parmesan or gruyere cheese

- salt and pepper, to taste

I have a secret to share with you all.  The secret of perfectly poached eggs!  I've always been a huge fan of eggs cooked in this style, thought I have to admit, it has always felt like a bit of a fine art cooking them perfectly every single time.  They always cooked okay, but never looked as beautiful as I thought they should - mine always turned out a bit ragged no matter how hard I tried to keep the eggs contained while cooking.  That is until I started cracking the eggs into a mesh strainer to get rid of the whispy little egg bits - now I  get perfectly poached eggs every single time!  

Directions

Fill a medium saucepan with a few of inches of water.  Heat on high until it barely reaches a simmer (you don't want too many bubbles or your eggs will end up all over the place). 

Working with only 1 egg at a time, crack egg into a fine mesh strainer (placed over a bowl) to get rid of the wispy egg bits.  Gently place eggs in boiling water, cover with a lid.  Lower heat to low, and cook for 4 minutes until the whites are cooked through. Gently lift the eggs out of the water with a slotted spoon.