Breakfast How To: Runny Egg

Post and images by guest blogger, Rebecca White, of A Pleasant Little Kitchen. 

Visit her full blog or find out more about her here. 

She’s unique among the other women in your life. Honor her this weekend and make her feel like there’s none other but her.

What does this look like? Intentional love.

Let me at least nudge you in the right direction on how to start the day: breakfast with fresh flowers.

This Mother’s Day, surprise the woman in your life with a perfectly cooked runny egg on toasted rosemary garlic toast and a bowl of fresh fruit. Throw in a few favorite photos of you two together with a handwritten note on why she is a treasure.

To make this morning happen, first swing by Market Street to pick up the goods. Everything you need is waiting to be found.

Grab a dozen pasture raised eggs, pop over to the bakery and select the perfectly baked loaf of bread (be sure to ask the baker to slice it for you!), and then select an array of pre-sliced watermelon and berries.

Then meander to the floral department and pick, pick, pick to your heart’s content.

Food, flowers and love. That’s the start to a beautiful, meaningful day.

Next is cooking the breakfast.

A perfectly cooked egg is one of my love languages. When made for me, I know the person that cooked it took the time to pay attention to the details of this delicate ingredient.

When I’m craving a fried egg, I want the yolk to be the star and melt out of the whites when pierced.

Eggs are delicate and require minimal cook time but are prone to being over-cooked-- which is why achieving the perfect runny egg is simple but tricky.

To make the perfect run there are only a few requirements to keep in mind: the pan, heat, egg and cook time. 

The Pan: Go for a thick, flat bottomed pan that efficiently distributes heat. Non-stick is not necessary as long as the pan is well heated and oiled properly. Size matters. For one to two eggs, choose a smaller sized skillet.

When I want a runny egg, I reach for a de Buyer Blue Steel Crepe Pan. It has a flat thick base that’s efficient for heating, and with more use, it becomes more nonstick.

Heat: To achieve a runny yolk, the heat needs to be minimal and well distributed throughout the pan. To achieve this state of heat, set the pan at medium low heat for about 3 minutes before adding the egg. 

Eggs: I don’t want to spend a fortune on a dozen eggs, but I do want to eat quality products. I tend to buy pasture-raised eggs from Vital Farms. Spending a bit extra for eggs translates to a tastier and prettier yolk, and cleaner eating.

When ready to cook, don’t crack the egg directly into the pan but into a small bowl. When the pan is ready, add the egg from the bowl to the pan. This will help prevent a broken yolk in the pan (which can be quite upsetting) and an unsightly shell or two.

Cook Time: Cook time varies depending on the stovetop, how well-heated the pan is and the type of pan used. Anywhere between 2 ½ to 3 minutes of cook time, and 30 seconds off the heat will do the trick for a nice runny yolk. But keep in mind that cook time also requires watch time.

Watch the yolk and the whites. When the whites are cooked and the clear coating that covers the yolk is almost gone, remove the pan from the heat. The egg will continue to cook once off the heat. If you remove the egg from the stovetop when you think it’s finished cooking, you may be too late.

There are several tricks to creating the perfect run. One in particular is covering the pan while it cooks. This move will steam the yolk and lead to a more evenly cooked egg. Sometimes I omit this step out of laziness. I don’t need any more dishes to clean, why add another element when the proper pan, heat and watch time achieve the same goal?

These four methods lead to a pleasantly runny egg void of fuss.

Mother's Day Runny Egg

Makes 1

Author note: Depending on the size of pan, a tad bit of oil might be necessary.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 egg

pinch of salt

Directions

1) Place the oil in a small skillet. Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Let the pan warm up for 3 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, crack the egg into a small ramekin or bowl.

3) Once the pan is evenly heated gently pour the egg into the skillet and salt. Set a timer for 2 ½ minutes.

4) After 2 ½ minutes examine the egg. Continue to cook for 30 seconds if the whites are not cooked all the way and the clear coat covering the yolk is still present.

5) Remove from the heat and let sit in the pan for 30 seconds.

6) Carefully remove the egg from the pan with a spatula. Serve on top of toast.