The Soft Boiled Egg

The first time I ate a soft boiled egg was in my early teens.  I recall the egg poised in a porcelain egg cup, learning how to cut off the top with a sharp knife, working a pat of butter down into the soft golden yellow yolk, then eating the egg with a spoon and a triangle of toast. 

That's how I enjoy a soft boiled egg at a restaurant.  Here's how I do it at home. Now that I'm retired I have the time to make them most mornings.

It's simple and delicious...

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil then carefully place your egg in the boiling water.  Set your timer.  I set mine for 6 to 7 minutes (6 for one egg, 7 for two eggs).  This amount of time makes it perfect for me; runny yellow and soft white. Now, while your egg or eggs are cooking prepare for showtime.

Prepare an ice bath in a small bowl, 


Have a tea towel handy with a tea spoon (not the measuring kind but the flatware kind)

 

and a pair of these handy kitchen scissors with the "teeth" in the handle.

In the microwave, melt a tablespoon of butter in the bowl that you are going to eat your eggs out of and set aside.




Once your timer goes off, immediately and gently transfer the eggs from the boiling water to the ice bath.

After a few seconds in the ice bath, take one egg at a time and clip off the top of the egg (the pointy end) with the kitchen scissors (if you do not have kitchen scissors, use a very sharp paring knife to whack and slice off the top of the egg).


 
With the teaspoon scrape the insides of the egg into the bowl of melted butter.  Repeat with the second egg if you are having two.




Here is where you decide how you will have your morning egg.  Plain,



salt and peppered with a piece of toast,
 

or over an English Muffin.

Growing up, I liked to tear up a dry piece of toast in my egg.  Today I had some homemade croutons and they were even better!

This is such a wonderful way to enjoy breakfast and get your morning protein.