Almost Eggs Benedict

... or how I learned to poach an egg.  Last weekend at brunch I had an amazingly delicious eggs benedict with asparagus and goat cheese (L'Evidance St. Denis below Cherrier).  It was my second breakfast of the day (oh how I wish I could learn to sleep in) and I had solely egg-based dishes that day, but it was the highlight.  This morning, I found myself looking for a way to use up some of the delicious baguette I bought last night from Les Copains d'Abord.  The solution?  A modified eggs benedict on Parisien baguette (the fatter kind) with leftover spreadable goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.  The problem?  I've never poached an egg before.  Thankfully, there are step-by-step instruction out there with photos for the poaching challenged ... and it worked!  Granted, this would've been better with a Hollandaise sauce poured on top, but that was just a little more work than I was willing to expend on a quiet Saturday morning breakfast, but if you want to add it, go right ahead!

Almost Eggs Benedict

Ingredients
baguette or other bread product
delicious cheese (I had a wheel of goat on hand)
chopped sun-dried tomatoes
eggs
white vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Slice baguette into 1 inch slices.  I made 4 even though I was only cooking 2 eggs just so I'd have plenty of bread to soak up the egg (baguette is smaller than English muffins!).
2. Spread cheese onto baguette slices.  Top with sun-dried tomatoes.  Place baguette on a baking dish and cook at 350F for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
3. Meanwhile, fill a pot with a couple of inches of water.  Pour in a little vinegar.  Heat until just before simmering/boiling (see pictures here).
4. Break an egg into a small bowl.  Create a whirlpool in the pot with a spatula.  Pour the egg into the whirlpool.  Watch the magical spinning.  Let the egg cook for 3 or 4 minutes or until set.  Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and drain onto a paper towel.  Repeat for all eggs.
5. Place eggs on top of baguette slices.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.