Momofuku Slow Poached Eggs

• servings: 8

Ingredients

8 eggs

Directions

1. Fill your biggest, deepest pot with water and put it on the stove over the lowest possible heat.

2. Use something to keep the eggs from sitting on the bottom of the pot, where the temperature will be highest. If you've got a cake rack or a steamer rack, use it. If not, improvise: a doughnut of aluminum foil or a few chopsticks scattered helter skelter across the bottom of the pan will usually do the trick, but you know what you've got lying around. Be resourceful.

3. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature in the pot--if it's too hot, add cold water or an ice cube. Once the water is between 140° and 145°F, add the eggs to the pot. Let them bathe for 40 to 45 minutes, checking the temperature regularly with the thermometer or by sticking your finger in the water (it should be the temperature of a very hot bath) and moderating it as needed.

4. You can use the eggs immediately or store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. (If you're planning on storing them, chill them until cold in an ice-water bath.) If you refrigerate the eggs, warm them under piping-hot tap water for 1 minute before using.

5. To serve the eggs, crack them one at a time into a small saucer. The thin white will not and should not be firm or solid; tip the dish to pour off and discard the loosest part of the white, then slide the egg onto the dish it's destined for.