Boil an Egg

Delia Smith's method of boiling a nicely cooked egg, is a winner.

It can be summed up thusly:

1. Keep or bring your eggs up to room temperature (cold eggs plunged in boiling water will crack).
2. Use a timer.
3. Make a pinprick (with… a pin) in the wide round end to let steam escape.
4. Use a small saucepan so the eggs aren't rollicking around too much.
5. Bring the water to a gentle simmer, not a hard boil.
6. If you know the eggs are fresh (I never check), add 30 seconds to your boil and rest time.

Oh I'm sorry, have I not mentioned that the whole goal here is to have an egg with the white cooked, but with a runny yolk? That's the tricky bit. If you don't care for a runny yolk, then I suppose you can go back to the woods or cave where you dwell and I apologize for taking you away from such important tasks such as picking ticks from the fur of your family members.

For a soft boiled egg:

1. Bring the water (enough to cover the eggs with about 1 cm of water) to a boil then lower to a gentle simmer.
2. Lower the room temperature egg in the water with a tablespoon.
3. Boil like this, uncovered, for exactly 1 minute.
4. Once the minute is up, remove the pan from the heat and cover for six minutes (for a runny yolk) or seven minutes (for a more cooked through, soft yolk).
5. Remove from the water and crack in or peel.

Delia's site goes on about hard boiled eggs and quail's eggs but whatever, you'll be too busy enjoying your reliably cooked eggs to care.

Recently scientists (or maybe it was just one), discovered the perfect way to boil an egg. Unfortunately, the method required two pots at different temperatures and took about 32 minutes. Admittedly, this is about 18 minutes faster than the 50-minute sous vide method of boiling an egg but in general, I would say both methods are about 25 minutes slower than Delia's method and for what is required for a reasonable weekend breakfast.

I used to like to say that my father knew the ingredients of a boiled egg, but that was about all. Obviously, my father could boil an egg, if pressed. Anyone can. The problem is, most people don't know when to stop. Including me. I always use the boiled egg as an analogy that a lot of things are like a boiled egg. Everyone thinks they can do it, but only a few can. Even fewer ask themselves, "Am I doing this right?"

Years ago I stopped boiling eggs in their shell because I discovered it was quicker and easier to poach an egg. For starters, you can see when it's done, or overdone. Poaching an egg can also be a tricky buisness. Sure, I can hear you now saying, "Just drop an egg in boiling water and it's done." Which is incorrect. To properly poach an egg, you bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a shot of vinegar, give the whole thing a swirl to create a little whirlpool effect, then gently drop your egg in the centre of the whirlpool. At this point, I would say to turn down the heat a bit so the water isn't a violent boil, but more gentle. This will give you time to see when the egg white is done and the yolk is still runny. At which point you can remove the egg using a slotted spoon. Those are the key points really. To recap: you need a larger pot of boiling water to give the egg some room not to touch the bottom and stick, you'll need a couple of ounces of white vinegar (I use too little to ever taste it), bring the pot to a gentle boil, create a little whirlpool to drop the egg in, and finally remove with a slotted spoon. Often I've stayed somewhere without a proper size pot, no vinegar, and no slotted spoon. No poached eggs for me. 

An even quicker method of poaching an egg is to use a large cafe au lait style cup, fill it 2/3 full with boiling water, add a splash of white vinegar, pinch of salt maybe, plop in the egg, freed from its shell, cover with a saucer and put it in the microwave for 1 minute (or 55 seconds). But where's the fun in that? Also, a few seconds less, it's primordial, and a few seconds more, it's a rubber ball. Experiment as you like, but you'll still need vinegar, and a slotted spoon. 

This is a basic skill to master with results that will astound weekend guests. If your guests do not care for soft boiled eggs then I think you have more serious problems to attend to, such as how to get rid of your guests.