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1
Fill a deep saucepan with 2 litres of water. Bring to a gentle simmer — 80–85 °C — at which small bubbles rise lazily from the base but no rolling agitation disturbs the surface. Add the white wine vinegar at 1 tbsp per litre. Add no salt. The correct temperature is confirmed by sight: continuous lazy bubbling with no turbulence.
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2
Strain each egg individually through a fine-mesh sieve held over a small cup or ramekin. The thin, watery outer white falls away; only the tight albumen and yolk remain in the cup. This is the step on which the dish lives or dies: a well-strained fresh egg will form a compact, teardrop shape; a thin, unstripped white will produce ragged threads that no subsequent technique can correct.
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3
For a single egg, stir the water in one direction to create a gentle whirlpool, then slide the egg from the cup into the centre of the vortex. For multiple eggs, omit the whirlpool and slide each strained egg in separately. Reduce the heat immediately to the barest simmer. The white should begin to gather around the yolk within seconds — the cue that the water temperature is correct.
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4
Poach for 3 to 3.5 minutes undisturbed. Lift the egg with a slotted spoon and press the white gently with a fingertip: it must be fully opaque, firm, and resilient, while the yolk beneath yields with no resistance — completely liquid. Any firmness in the yolk indicates overcooking.
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5
Transfer to a clean cloth to drain briefly. Trim any ragged edges with scissors to achieve a neat, symmetrical form. The finished egg should present a smooth, uniformly white exterior with no wispy fringe.
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6
To hold for service: lower the trimmed eggs into iced water to which a splash of white wine vinegar has been added. They may be held thus for up to 2 hours. To reheat, immerse in hot — not boiling — water for 30 seconds. The white should feel warm to the touch and the yolk must remain entirely liquid when pressed.