Budget Tricks - Poached Egg in a Cup

As the header above this blog title reveals, I am indeed an ex-college student. Though all of this seems to imply that I have earned a university diploma, suffered through microeconomics lectures with 250 people, and consumed one too many coffees in the library café, the real issue here is that I am now living off my own nickel. And this economy isn't throwing anyone a bone. I'm pretty good at budgeting, generally. I know what I spend, when I spend it, and how much I'm willing to shell out for each purchase. For example, when it comes to produce, I buy only what's in season, and I often shop at markets, which tend to have fruits and vegetables that are not only cheaper, but also more fresh. Because I'm a vegetarian and I have a somewhat insane addiction to raisins and peanuts - did I mention that I'm also weird? - I make a special trip to buy these items in bulk. When it comes to whole grains, tea, and salt, I'm always willing to pay a little extra for quality. [I have a whole system worked out for the purchasing of clothing as well. I almost always buy from the super clearance section, and I'm a huge fan of thrift stores. Running shoes though? I refuse to sacrifice my feet and knees to the pavement. I used to buy cheap sneakers, and my poor toes were so blistered everyday that they looked like they'd been run over by a car tire, which, had I not been so frugal, might also have led to additional purchases of bandages and tape. But I digress. Also, you'll probably never want to read about food if I continue discussing my feet].

Back to the issue at hand, I find that I'm happiest in the kitchen when I'm able to merge healthy eating, maximum flavor, and wallet-friendly shopping. Some of the ways I do this I mentioned above - making smart and seasonal purchases, taking an extra walk to go to the more reasonably priced store, but I also try to come up with creative uses for everyday foods. In this department, I have more than a few tricks up my sleeve. One of my very favorites, however, is to deploy the egg as not a mere addition to a meal, but as a protein-boosting, creamy sauce that replaces other sauces that are more expensive as well as high in sodium, sugar, and preservatives. There are a million ways to cook an egg (and I'm only exaggerating a little), but I've found that as a condiment, the poached egg works well. You'll have a soft and fleshy white that, when ladeled over your food, will break open so that the milky yolk can being used for dipping. The poached egg can be eaten over steamed broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, toast, skillet corn, couscous, salmon, you name it. In particular, I like to have it at lunch with a bowl of warm salsa, a fresh jalapeño, and a tortilla. Add some refried beans and you've got yourself a five-minute taco.

Which brings me to the "in a cup" part of the poaching. Poaching an egg can be a daunting task. It's a little tricky to slide the egg into hot water without letting the white go everywhere and create a stringy soup rather than a nicely rounded lump. If you get the poaching right, you'll come up with a beautifully-shaped egg, but I've found that when I'm cooking for myself, I almost always favor speed and convenience over presentation. Hence the poaching in a cup. Easy, fast, and versatile. Do it at home.

Poached Egg in a Cup

this recipe is for one egg

Ingredients

-water

-egg(s)

-salt and pepper to taste

-any other seasonings you like on your eggs, coordinate this part with whatever you're planning to serve with the egg

Method

Pour a couple of inches of water into a small pot. Over the stove, bring the water almost to the point of boiling. Once bubbles gather around the sides and bottom of the pot, reduce the heat to medium. In the meantime, crack an egg into a mug or a ramekin (or another dish that can withstand heat). Don't stir the egg - you do not want to break up the yolk. Top the egg with salt, pepper, and seasonings. Just after you have reduced the heat of the water, set the ramekin into the pot. You'll want the water to reach the level of the top of the egg, but you don't want any water to get into the ramekin itself. From here on, cooking time depends on how hot your water is. You'll want to remove the egg as soon as the white becomes opaque. This generally takes me about 2 minutes. Make sure when you remove the ramekin to use tongs or a towel because it will be quite hot. As soon as you've removed the egg from the heat, carefully slide it from the ramekin onto whatever you're serving it with. I ate mine with sauteed cauliflower, tomatoes, and feta. The egg won't stay warm long so eat it right away.* I break the egg into bits and often use bread or veggies to sop up the yolk.

*I hear the you can reheat a poached egg by placing it back into the hot water for a minute or so, but I've never tried this myself.