Soft-Boiled Eggs

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, January/February 2013
Serves 1 to 4

1 to 4 large eggs, cold from the refrigerator

Caution: I love soft-boiled eggs. I mean I LOVE SOFT-BOILED EGGS. But recent information about avian flu suggests it may be risky to eat soft egg yolks. I get many of my eggs from local farmers, and I have a cat who would be susceptible if I caught the flu and passed it along. If you decide you’d rather avoid soft yolks, you might like to see how I make hard-boiled eggs instead.

Put 1 inch of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Carefully place the egg or eggs in the pan and cover. (If you’re making more than one egg, you may want to put a steamer basket in the saucepan. This keeps them a little steadier and stops them knocking into each other.) Immediately reduce the heat slightly, and cook for exactly 7 minutes. I use a digital timer to get this right. If the egg is cooked more than you like, reduce the time slightly to find your perfect yolk.

When the time is up, remove the cover, place the pan in the sink, and run cold water into it for 30 seconds to stop the cooking. Remove the eggs and eat them however you prefer.

My favorite way is the one I grew up with at my grandfather’s house in England—in an egg cup with toast soldiers, strips of buttered toast for dipping into the soft yolk. I put a little mound of salt and pepper on my plate to dip the spoon into between bites. I use an egg topper to remove the top, but you can tap the egg all over with a knife and then lift off the top.

If you want your egg smashed onto buttered toast, crack the egg in half over a plate and scoop it onto the toast with a spoon.

Note: After many trials, this is my preferred method for soft-boiled eggs. Calling them “boiled” is a bit misleading—they’re really steamed.

Egg Toppers