Ingredients:

  • 1 to 4 large, very fresh eggs
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Fill the saucepan with water (about 3 inches deep). Bring the water to a simmer—look for small, gentle bubbles rising from the bottom, not a rolling boil.
  2. Stir in the teaspoon of white vinegar into the simmering water.
  3. Gently crack one egg into a small fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Let it sit for 30 seconds to allow the very watery, loose outer white to drain away.
  4. Gently slide the drained egg from the sieve into a small ramekin.
  5. Using a wooden spoon, stir the simmering water vigorously in one direction to create a gentle whirlpool or vortex.
  6. Gently slide the egg from the ramekin directly into the centre of the vortex. The swirling water helps wrap the white tightly around the yolk.
  7. Poach undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes for a perfectly runny yolk. Do not let the water boil fiercely.
  8. Gently lift the egg out of the water using a slotted spoon. Dab the bottom of the spoon onto a clean paper towel to wick away excess water.
  9. Season immediately with salt and serve straight away.