Poached eggs will stay in the correct shape while cooking if you use chef's 1 ingredient

Poaching an egg may seem like one of the simplest kitchen tasks, but many home cooks quickly discover it's anything but easy. Unlike scrambled or fried eggs, where imperfections are easily hidden, poaching is surprisingly delicate.

This is even harder when it comes to getting the right shape. One wrong move and your delicious poached egg can quickly turn into a stringy mess. Alain Roux, acclaimed chef and owner of the Three Michelin Star restaurant The Waterside Inn, has offered his essential tips for perfecting a poached egg. "Vinegar will help the egg white to coagulate and keep its shape as it cooks," he explained, emphasising the importance of using only the freshest eggs and maintaining a consistent temperature for the simmering water.

He suggests creating a gentle vortex in the pan to coax the whites to swirl and neatly envelop the yolk.

For optimal results, he cautions against overfilling the pot - four eggs is "enough of a challenge" - and recommends checking for readiness by lifting each egg with a slotted spoon after two minutes, lightly pressing the edges, and repeating every 30 to 60 seconds until they're cooked to perfection.

How to make poached eggs

What you'll need:

• One and a half litres of water
• Three tablespoons of white wine vinegar
• Four medium-sized St Ewe free-range eggs
• Four teaspoons of white wine vinegar
• Equipment
• Casserole dish (20cm wide x 10cm deep)
• Ramekins or small bowls
• Kitchen paper

Method

Crack the eggs into separate small bowls or ramekins. Drizzle a teaspoon of vinegar onto each egg.

Gently swirl the bowls and wait for four to five minutes before poaching the eggs.

Remove the lid from the casserole pan of boiling water. Adjust the heat so that the water does not boil vigorously, but small bubbles should be surfacing for a "rolling/ gentle simmer".

With a spoon, stir the water around the edge of the casserole to create a whirlpool. One by one, drop two of the eggs into the centre of the whirlpool.

Gently re-stir the whirlpool and add in, one at a time, the remaining two eggs. Allow the eggs to poach for three to four minutes, or until they're cooked but still have soft yolks.

For medium eggs, allow an extra one to two minutes.

Carefully lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon and let them drain on a plate lined with kitchen roll.

Using a small knife or kitchen scissors, trim off any ragged edges or stringy parts of the egg whites (if present). Your poached eggs are now ready to be seasoned and enjoyed.