The Prague Post
July 6th, 2008
Reader's SurveyNEW     Endowment Fund     Book of Lists ONLINE      Reservations      Classifieds    Subscriptions
Hotel Prague Centre

Home » Archives » Night & Day

From the Chef Jiří Štift

On the burner Poaching is an old technique that's still in style
From the chef | Search restaurants | Archives

December 19th, 2007 issue

VLADIMÍR WEISS/THE PRAGUE POST
This classic Czech dish relies on poached eggs and plenty of seasoning.
enlarge
KULAJDA (CREAM SOUP WITH DILL AND POACHED EGG)

Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 liter chicken veloute
0.3 liter cream
5 grams butter
5 centiliters vinegar
Large bunch fresh dill, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and diced
6 eggs, poached
Salt and pepper
Preparation:
In a pot, bring chicken veloute to a boil
Add vinegar and cream then simmer for 10 minutes
Add chopped dill and butter
Mix well with a hand blender
Add potatoes and poached eggs
Bring to simmer again
Season to taste and serve

Poaching is merely a form of cooking in simmering liquid.

Traditional continental recipes call for poaching eggs in water seasoned with salt and a little vinegar. But almost any form of protein can be prepared in this manner.
It’s a classic method of slow-cooking meats. But beef, poultry and fish all require different poaching techniques, even though the concept remains the same.
For red meat, bring liquid to the proper heat level first before adding beef or venison. This will help seal in flavors. With chicken or other poultry, it’s best to start the process in cold stock. Fish can be poached whole or filleted, the amount of liquid varying accordingly.
The technique is versatile — many professional chefs adapt it to fruits and desserts. Indeed, apples, pears or other fruits gently poached in plain sugar syrup will hold their shape, as well as all their natural flavors.
It’s a trick that allows for creativity in stocks and seasoning, as well as flexibility.
Jiří Štift is chef at Alcron and La Rotonde in the Radisson SAS, located at Štěpánská 40, Prague 1New Town. Tel. 222 820 038.


survey banner


Other articles in Night & Day (19/12/2007):

Browse the Current Issue

If you enjoyed this article, why don't you subscribe to the print version!
We accept secure online transactions provided by PayPal and Moneybookers

Be the first to add a comment!


Full Name: *
City: *
E-mail: **
This comment can be published in the print version of The Prague Post
Enter the text on the right:
 visual captcha
Comment: *
* Required field. In order to be approved for display, comments must have a first and last name and a city.
** E-mails are required and will only be used for internal purposes.

Most visited in Book of Lists

Provokator
Hotel booking
The Prague Post Online contains a selection of articles that have been printed in
The Prague Post, a weekly newspaper published in the Czech Republic.
To subscribe to the print paper, click here.
Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.