Greek Poached eggs : this way, that way, any way
Credit to Stella Drivas at Hungry Happens for her stellar recipes.
A short tictok video is the only intro I have had into making this dish, but boy did it look tasty, right? This favorite recipe is versatile, perfect for any meal, and adaptable based on available ingredients, which I will show you a few variants of my own. In this blog I am aiming to showcases how cooking can be adaptable, even without formal training. Feel free to adjust and experiment based on what you have available—I did it and you can too!
In how I like to cook this, the essentials include broth, eggs, and feta, with the flexibility to use either bone or veggie broth. Vegetables and spices can vary though, whatever you have on hand; there's no set amount for spices, and adjustments are made to taste, sometimes with salt, or fresh lime added last minute to boost the flavor (or water to dilute it!). I like using garlic as a staple for both taste and health benefits, even though not a part of the original recipe.
In this vegetarian version pictured below; bell peppers, mushrooms, and potatoes serve as the veggie base, seasoned with garlic, salt, pepper, and topped with dill and cilantro.
When taking pictures, I lightly sprinkle toppings to showcase the medley of colors, but when I serve my bowl I more generously add more feta, and fresh herbs like parsley for its long term heath benefits, using a handful per serving. I recommend gradually incorporating more green garnishes into your meals for their nutrient density and medicinal properties, which support your optimal wellness. Establishing this habit is very beneficial, and as your body adapts to putting these healthier choices to use, it will naturally begin to crave more.
In the example below I used potatoes, onion, and garlic as the base, flavored with a Turkish spice blend. Cherry tomatoes and spinach were steamed over the poached eggs, adding a fresh and nutritious touch. Dill was sprinkled on top for an extra nutrient boost.
Cooking tips:
Start by partially or even mostly cooking starchy items like potatoes before adding softer vegetables. Add eggs when everything is mostly cooked, aiming for your preferred doneness. I don’t get my timing right every time, but I keep cooking till the starchy item and the eggs are cooked to the right level (sometimes overdone, oops!), but it is always still super tasty!
Another tip for a much shorter cooking time, is to pre-bake your potatoes, since they normally take the longest to cook. This does not mean baking potatoes at prep for this recipe. It means, on a day out of your week just bake potatoes (like while watching a late night movie), and put them in the fridge after cooled. They are then ready to do so much with over the next week & make for quicker healthy meals.
In this last example below, I used potatoes, onions, mushrooms, zucchini and some left over cooked chicken I had in the fridge. I used garlic, salt, and an all purpose spice blend to season. For the broth I watered down some bone broth.
The best part of making this dish is the leftovers; prepare a large pan and you will have several meals over the next 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven for convenience. Using a toaster oven, warm at 350 degrees for 15-30 minutes.
My approach celebrates kitchen creativity and learning from every cooking experience. Even dishes that seem like misses can surprise you after flavors meld in the fridge. It's a reminder to give dishes a second chance and to be forgiving with your culinary experiments. We are always our worst critics, not always recognizing the growth we gain in our process.
Cheers to your kitchen creativity, and not worrying too much about having an exact recipe to follow. But for those who like a better guide, I got you, the ORIGINAL RECIPE is found here.
