Fried Poached Eggs

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide 4 quart saucepan for poaching
• •Small offset spatula
• •Two rimmed sheet pans
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Heavy 5 to 6 quart pot for frying
• •Deep-fry thermometer
• •Spider or broad slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Set the stations

   Line a rimmed tray with parchment and set a wire rack over a second tray. Put the ice water beside the stove, spread the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish, and reserve another shallow dish for the breading mixture. A calm sequence matters here because the eggs become more delicate with every layer.

   Use a small saucepan for the sauce coat. A narrow vessel gives enough depth to cover each egg without requiring a brigade quantity.
2. 2

   Poach the eggs

   Bring the water and vinegar to a bare tremble in a wide saucepan. Crack each egg into a small cup, then slide in four at a time, keeping the water below a boil. Poach for about 3 minutes, folding any loose white gently around its yolk with a spoon, until the white is set but the center still yields. If the white feathers outward, the water is moving too hard; lower the heat, gather it gently, and trim the wisps after chilling. Lift each egg directly into the ice water and repeat with the remaining eggs.

3. 3

   Dry and coat

   Leave the eggs in the ice water for 2 minutes, then lift them onto a clean towel. Trim loose white and blot every surface thoroughly without pressing the yolk. Bring the finished Villeroy Sauce (No. 108) to a warm, very thick coating consistency. Support one egg on a small offset spatula, lower it carefully into the sauce, spoon sauce over the top, and lift it onto the parchment. Coat all eight eggs and leave space between them. If the sauce slides off, stop. Ça se rattrape: blot the egg again, let the sauce cool until it blankets a spoon heavily, then cover the bare place with another spoonful.

4. 4

   Set and bread

   Chill the coated eggs uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, until the sauce is firm enough to touch without marking. Run the point of a small knife around each egg to remove the skirt of excess sauce, then lift it carefully from the parchment. Pour the Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174) into its shallow dish. Turn each egg gently through it, let the excess drip away, and roll it in the fine breadcrumbs until completely enclosed. Do not squeeze. If a seam cracks, patch it with a dab of cold Villeroy Sauce (No. 108), cover the patch with crumbs, and chill again. Refrigerate the breaded eggs for 20 minutes.

   The second chill is modest insurance for a home cook who must also manage the garnish and frying fat. It changes no flavor and gives the fragile coat time to hold.
5. 5

   Sauté the mushrooms

   Melt the butter in a wide skillet until it foams. Add the sliced mushrooms in one uncrowded layer and sauté over lively heat, turning only after their undersides have browned. Cook until their released moisture has evaporated and the edges are bronzed and glossy, then season with half the salt. Hold them just warm while the eggs fry.

6. 6

   Fry the eggs

   Pour the oil into a heavy 5 to 6 quart pot, which should remain no more than half full, and heat it to 365°F (185°C). Lower two eggs at a time into the fat with a spider and fry for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, turning once, until evenly deep gold. Let the oil return to temperature between batches. If the first coat begins to split, lift that egg out immediately. Ça se rattrape for the rest: return the unfried eggs to the cold, patch any thin seams, chill for 15 minutes, and restore the fat to temperature. Drain the fried eggs on the wire rack and salt them lightly while the crust is fresh.

7. 7

   Arrange and serve

   Arrange two eggs per person, or set all eight in a ring on a warm oval platter as the original service intends. Spoon the butter-sautéed mushrooms into the center and bring the dish to the table immediately. The fork should meet crisp crumb, then tender sauce, then the yielding egg beneath. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use the freshest eggs you can obtain. Their thicker whites gather closely around the yolks in the poaching water, which gives you neat shapes that are much easier to coat.
• •Fresh breadcrumbs are essential here. Pulse crustless white bread into very fine crumbs, but stop before they become damp clumps; coarse crumbs leave gaps where the sauce coat can split.
• •The central garnish belongs to the structure of the dish, but the book leaves its identity to the cook. A macédoine (small mixed vegetables), tomato fondue (tomatoes cooked to a pulp), artichoke bottoms, morels, or a mushroom sauté (sliced mushrooms browned quickly in butter) all belong. This version chooses mushrooms because they can be finished during the final chill.
• •A dry Champagne suits the crisp coat and rich sauce particularly well. Keep the bottle cold and the eggs hot, and don't hold the platter while everyone admires it.

Advance Preparation

• •The eggs may be poached up to 24 hours ahead. Keep them submerged in fresh cold water, covered and refrigerated, then drain and dry them meticulously before coating.
• •The finished Villeroy Sauce (No. 108) may be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated. Warm it gently only until it flows slowly enough to coat; if it becomes loose, let it cool before touching the eggs.
• •The Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174) should be kept covered and cold and used the same day. The coated and breaded eggs may wait refrigerated for up to 6 hours.
• •Do not fry the eggs ahead. The crust softens as it stands, while the yolk continues to cook inside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 425g)