Poaching involves cooking foods in a liquid (often water-based, such as stock or water) at a temperature of between 160° and 180°F. Since water boils at 212°F, that is the only temperature at which you would “boil” foods. Poaching is a much more gentle way of cooking than boiling and is good for more delicate foods, like shrimp, fish, etc. But you can certainly poach a variety of proteins and vegetables.