Poaching an egg

Achieving the perfect teardrop-shaped poached egg with a soft runny yolk inside is easy; you just need plenty of water and vinegar.

Fill a deep pot with about 3 litres of water and add 240ml malt vinegar. (You want a ratio of 70ml of vinegar to every litre of water.) Bring to a rapid boil.

Crack your eggs into individual cups. Gently slip the eggs into the water one by one. Turn the heat down so the water isn’t boiling but watch that it’s not too low as the eggs might stick to the bottom of the pot. After 2½ minutes, carefully lift out your eggs and check them – you want them to feel soft but not so soft that they might break. If you don’t think they’re quite ready, get them back in and give them another 30 seconds. Fish the eggs out with a slotted spoon and drain on a piece of kitchen towel, then give them a wee trim with a pair of scissors and season with salt and a little bit of pepper.