If you’re like me, waking up is something of a struggle, if not a downright disappointment. Nevertheless, we must rage, rage against the coming of the light you and I, and get out of that really comfy bed, put on an egg and get on with it. These poached egg recipes are perfect for getting your bum into gear – they’re fresh, tasty, simple and impressive enough if you’ve got guests (gasp! why so early?!) coming around for brunch.

I really am terrible at getting up in the morning, especially on the weekend. I’m a dreamer at heart and it is in dreams that my person prefers to stay. In the morning, body resists the concepts of sunlight and movement vehemently; it dives under the covers while my brain wails in despair. The problem with having a lovely long lie in though, is that by the time you get up half the day is over, and any suggestion of breakfast long since passed. It’s this breakfast envy that has trained my terrible self discipline to get up. Taking the time and effort to make a breakfast that is a little bit special can turn your whole day around, plus you can silence that internal monologue of your mother telling you ‘Don’t skip The Most Important Meal of the Day’!

Here are four of our favourite poached egg recipes, perfect for a motivational get up breakfast or a brunch to be shared.

Salmon and Chives Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

4 eggs

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 English muffins, halved

a little butter, for spreading

smoked salmon

chopped chives

For the hollandaise sauce

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp white wine vinegar

3 egg yolks

125g butter, diced

Method

1. First, let’s make the Hollandaise sauce. Put the lemon juice and vinegar in a small bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk with a balloon whisk until light and frothy. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until mixture thickens. Gradually add the butter, whisking constantly until thick – if it looks like it might be splitting, then whisk off the heat for a few mins. Season and keep warm.
2. Poach the eggs.
3. Lightly toast and butter the muffins, then put a couple of slices of salmon on each half. Top each with an egg, spoon over some lovely silky hollandaise.

Burghul Bowl with Poached Eggs

A note: Whether you called it burghul, bulgur bourghul…it’s all the same. It’s cracked wheat and it’s just delicious.

Ingredients

1½ cups burghul

1¾ cups water

4 spring onions, green part only, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon roasted flaked almonds,

1 small fresh red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise (optional)

½ small shallot, finely chopped

1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp tahini

Method

1. Make the burghul pilaf by putting the burghul in a large bowl. Set a small saucepan over high heat. Bring the water to a boil, then pour over the burghul. Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and let it sit for 15 minutes. Stir in the spring onion, almonds, chilli (if you’re using it), shallot, lemon juice and olive oil. Stir in the salt and pepper and divide the pilaf between 2 bowls.
2. Poach the eggs, then place 2 eggs on top of each pilaf serving. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and mix the tahini with olive oil and drizzle on top.

Zucchini Fritters with Poached Eggs

Ingredients

2 zucchini

50g wholemeal flour

2 eggs

3 tbsp milk

3 tbsp grated parmesan

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Grate your zucchini very finely. Transfer to a colander, give a good squeeze and leave to drain for 5 minutes.
3. While the zucchini drains, whisk together your flour, eggs and milk in a large bowl. Add a little more milk if the batter is very thick, but it should be a similar consistency to thick pancake batter.
4. Before adding the zucchini, squeeze it between your hands to get out as much excess as possible.
5. Add the zucchini and spring onion to the batter, and stir until totally combined.
6. On a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, spoon out some of the courgette mixture into a rough circle shape.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for another 10-15 mins, until each fritter is golden brown and crispy on the edges. (You could also gently fry in a pan if you prefer.)
8. For a sauce, ripple a couple of tablespoons of Sriracha sauce through some Greek yoghurt, then top with a soft poached egg.

Spinach and Green Asparagus Poach Eggs

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

80g fresh baby spinach

1 garlic clove

Lemon zest and juice from half of lemon

3 asparagus

1 egg

Salt

Black pepper

Method

1. Fill a small pot with water, add salt, bring it to boil and add asparagus. Cook for about 4 minutes. Remove from water, and cover. Remove from heat, but leave it in warm place.
2. Meanwhile, splash 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan on a medium heat. Chop the garlic and fry it for about a minute, until golden and softened. Add fresh, prewashed baby spinach and stir for a minute, until the spinach is soft and wilted. Add lemon juice and zest.
3. Poach the egg. Meanwhile, place your spinach on the serving plate, and when you see egg white is nicely formed, place it on top of the spinach. Put asparagus on the top and season with salt and black pepper.

And there you have it. Four delicious poached egg recipes, and four very good reasons to get out of bed in the morning. Happy Weekend!