10 seconds.
this will help the whites set as soon as they hit the pan, keeping the shape neater.
swirl the water and quickly break each egg into the pan.
bring the water back up to the boil and then time them for 2 minutes.
you will perhaps get a bit of scum on the top of the water. use your slotted spoon or spatula to remove it.
fill your bowl with cold water, this will stop the eggs cooking.
restaurant kitchens use this method when they are cooking large quantities.
it's good if you're cooking for a quantity of people - say four people need eight eggs and poaching more than four at a time is 