meal: poached eggs

I have to admit, I was extremely doubtful after I decided to combine one of my forty before forty 'goals' to make room for a new one, and yet, I felt that I needed to tweak the list a little bit.  It is a list to accomplish in 10 years, but my interests might change within those years and then what?  Should I really leave on something that I no longer have interest in doing or not add something that is of interested.  No, I decided that it was time to make a change.  My addition to the list:

19.  Learn to cook a new recipe every month.

Whatever prompted me to add this to the list?!  For those that know me, I have never been one that likes cooking, and, since living alone, cooking for one is more challenging.  I make way too much and end up with soup or pasta for the rest of a week, if not two weeks.  Yet, I have decided that I would like to master some recipes - basic and simple and, eventually, more complex.  Although, already, I think that I make a pretty damn good french onion soup.

For May, I decided to learn to poach an egg.  I admit I was terrified and anticipated complete disaster and for good reason.  When I was in high school I ended up making egg drop soup, a complete accident, because I intended to make egg salad.  Note to self, add water to pan, THEN add eggs, place pan on stove, THEN turn on stove to boil water.  I have a tendency to boil the water and then add the eggs, which results in my version of egg drop soup (and eggs in up in the garbage).  Embarrassingly, I did not learn from this high school mishap, and I've made the same mistake time and time and time again.   One day, I hope to learn how to boil an egg correctly to make egg salad.  Until then, I decided to poach an egg.

I spent an afternoon searching for tips on how to poach and egg.  I searched the web and even turned off the computer completely to consult the Joy of Cooking (an actual cookbook!).  In the end, I settled on a recipe from my favorite cooking website, Smitten Kitchen.  The author gives wonderful cooking advice and has amazingly delicious recipes.

Without fail, I used this recipe and the first time it was a success!  The second time,  I didn't cook the egg long enough, but thankfully, it's easy to put the egg back into the almost boiling water and let it finish cooking.

Accomplishment, I can poach an egg, which is especially yummy for dinner with roasted asparagus and mushrooms.