Poached Eggs With Date Chorizo Paste Recipes

CREAMY CHORIZO SPAGHETTI WITH POACHED EGGS

Steps:

• Bring 2 large pans of water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti in one pan of boiling water until just al dente (2 minutes less than the pack cooking instructions), then drain, reserving 200ml of the cooking water.
• Fry 120g diced chorizo in a frying pan until crisp, then stir in a the cream cheese, the cooked spaghetti and reserved cooking water with a generous grind of black pepper.
• Toss everything together over a medium heat until glossy (2-3 minutes). Stir in a handful of chopped fresh parsley, some salt and black pepper.
• Meanwhile, reduce the second pan of water to a simmer, swirl it with a spoon and poach 4 eggs for 3-4 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Dry on kitchen paper.
• Divide the spaghetti among 4 warmed serving bowls and top each with a poached egg, black pepper and a little extra parsley.

POACHED EGGS IN CHORIZO-TOMATO STEW WITH GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Add the 2 cloves chopped garlic, onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, thyme, salt and pepper, cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and bring up to a bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
• Fill a medium skillet with warm water. Bring water to a gentle simmer over medium low heat. As the water is coming up to a simmer proceed with making the garlic croutons and the zesty parsley sprinkle.
• Toast the bread in the broiler or in a toaster oven. Once the bread is toasted, rub with the cracked garlic and then drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over it and reserve.
• Pile the parsley leaves, lemon zest and orange zest on a cutting board. Run your knife through the pile until the parsley is finely chopped and the zests are completely incorporated into the parsley, reserve.
• Once the water is at a bubble for poaching the eggs, pour the vinegar into the simmering water. Crack an egg into a small bowl. Gently pour the egg into the simmering water. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Cook eggs for about 2 minutes for runny yolks, or about 4 for solid yolks. Do not allow the water to boil. Carefully remove the eggs with a slotted spoon to a towel-lined plate to drain.
• To serve, pull thyme stems from chorizo-tomato stew, then arrange the garlic croutons in the bottom of 4 shallow soup bowls, ladle some of the stew on top of the garlic croutons, set eggs in place and sprinkle dish with zesty parsley sprinkle and serve.

PERFECT POACHED EGG

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with at least 3 inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce temperature to low--the water is ready when you see bubbles at the bottom of the pot, but there should be no bubbles breaking the surface of the water.
• Crack egg into a small-mesh sieve, allow it to drain, and then transfer the egg to a small bowl or ramekin in order to avoid a runny egg white. This step will give you a better-shaped poached egg with tighter whites.
• When water is at the right temperature, stir in about 1 tablespoon white vinegar which helps the egg white coagulate. Using a spoon, swirl the water in the center of the pot into a vortex or whirlpool, and carefully add egg to the center. Cook until egg white is set, but the yolk is still soft and runny, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook.
• Transfer the egg to a paper towel to remove excess water using a slotted spoon. Serve immediately.

POACHED EGGS WITH DATE CHORIZO PASTE

Steps:

• Two days before serving, prepare eggs. For each egg, lay out a 12-inch square of plastic wrap. Generously grease it with butter, and then sprinkle with truffle oil and salt. Crack an egg in center of each, then quickly collect edges of plastic wrap. Twist ends of wrap tightly, and tie with string. Refrigerate two days.
• In a small pan, combine sugar with 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Let cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine dates, chorizo, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the sugar syrup. Season with pepper. Puree until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula. The mixture should be thick but not stiff. Pulse in the olive oil, and then water (a tablespoon at a time) as needed. Taste, and adjust seasoning.
• Put paste on a large square of cheesecloth. Wrap in a ball, and squeeze with your hands over a bowl. (This is messy and time-consuming, but makes the resulting paste markedly smoother and strains out any chewy pieces of chorizo.)
• Bring a medium pan of water to a simmer. Using a slotted spoon, gently add egg packages to water. Simmer 3 1/2 minutes, for a runny yolk. Meanwhile, toast bread.
• When eggs are done, transfer packages to paper towels to drain. Place one package on each of six plates, and cut open at top with scissors. Discard plastic wrap, making sure all the oil stays on the plate. Sprinkle egg with coarse salt. Spoon a little date-chorizo paste around it. Sprinkle olive oil on toast, and serve with eggs.