Poached eggs with matcha salt

Sep 6

Sep 6 Poached eggs with matcha salt

The original recipe for matcha poached eggs is attributed to the author of the cookbook The Breakaway Cook and founder of Breakaway Matcha, Eric Gower. I came across it after falling down an internet rabbit hole and being the curious squirrel that I am, I had to try it out and see what all the hype is about. Its simplicity is captivating. Taste magazine describes it as follows. “We all know the combination of salt and eggs is mighty tasty. The addition of powdered green tea is alchemical. The egg’s savoriness intensifies. A delicate sweetness murmurs. I do not understand how a subtle addition does this.” (*)

The simplicity of this recipe means that you have to use top notch ingredients to make it shine. I baked my own sourdough bread from scratch (yes, that’s one of the things I do that you might not know about me). If you don’t have time, I’m sure you can find a good artisan bakery where you can source a delicious loaf of crusty bread. I used ceremonial grade matcha (not culinary grade), fresh organic pasture raised eggs, organic butter and sea salt. The original recipe calls for flaky salt but I only had fine on hand and that worked just as well. I also made a smaller batch of matcha salt and modified the salt to matcha ratio. I recommend you store your matcha salt in an airtight container in the fridge to preserve its freshness.

Poached eggs with matcha salt

For the matcha salt:
20 gr (3 ½ teaspoons) fine sea salt
1 gr (½ teaspoon) matcha green tea, sifted

Combine salt and matcha in an airtight container or jar, close the lid and shake well. Store in the fridge to preserve freshness.

To assemble:
Sourdough bread, sliced
Organic unsalted butter
Organic pasture raised eggs
Matcha salt

Spread butter on toasted sourdough bread slices. Set aside while you poach the eggs. I use a combination of tricks to poach my eggs. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Take the pot off the heat. Crack one egg at a time in a tea strainer and let the watery egg white bits drip in a bowl. Gently slide the egg from the tea strainer in the water, wait 30 seconds that the egg white is set and gently flip the egg over with a spoon. Cover the pot with the lid and poach for 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer the egg to a plate, blot excess water with a paper towel and place the egg on the buttered toast. Sprinkle generously with matcha salt and serve immediately. The matcha salt is not overpowering but adds that je ne sais quoi that makes it super delicious. Enjoy!