Eggs must be the most versatile of foods. Not only can they be a complete meal (and not just at breakfast time), but they also form the basis of a huge amount of baking and cooking, both savoury and sweet. They are extremely nutritious – high in protein – easily available, very quick to cook and very cheap. They are also suitable for vegetarians (though not vegans).
You can find the cooking methods below for the most common ways to cook them on their own. You can also find many recipes using or featuring eggs (e.g meringues, pavlova, custard, fritatta, etc) under the recipe tab.
Boiling
Soft Boiled
There’s nothing quite like the unctuous deliciousness of a perfectly cooked boiled egg and soldiers – firm white, runny yolk and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
I tend to buy large, organic eggs and use these in all of my cooking.
You need to fill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil. Gently lower the egg(s) into the pot and, using a timer, boil the egg for exactly 4 minutes.
Hard Boiled
Hard boiled eggs are useful for sandwich fillings, quick easy snacks, picnic food and in recipes like kedgeree, scotch eggs etc.
As for soft boiled but boil the egg(s) for 7-8 minutes (7 for a slightly softer yolk and 8 for a completely set yolk). Then immediately put the eggs into a bowl or pot of cold water. This will prevent a green ring forming between the yolk and white and will also make the egg easier to peel.
Frying
A weekend fry-up is not the same without a fried egg!
Melt a knob of butter in a small frying pan until it starts to foam, the crack open an egg(s) into the centre. Cook the egg over a gentle heat until the white of the egg is cooked (the colour has changed from clear to white), a little crispy and you can lift the edges with a spatula.
Scrambled
I am extremely fussy about scrambled eggs. It is a crime to overcook them until they become dry and rubbery. If anything, I would prefer them slightly underdone.
Crack 2 eggs per person into a bowl and add approximately 4 Tb of milk (preferably whole milk) and a good pinch of salt and grind of pepper. Whisk them all together until slightly frothy. Melt a good knob of butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat and when melted, add the egg mixture and stir gently. Take the eggs off the heat before they are fully cooked as they will continue to cook with the residual heat of the pan.
You can add chopped herbs (chives and parsley are lovely) or grated cheese, or a little cream and/or extra butter at the end, but plain, well cooked scrambled eggs are divine just as they are.
Poached
Healthier than fried or scrambled eggs as they don’t require any fat for cooking, poached eggs are delicious on toasted granary bread (with or without avocado). They are great on top of a caesar salad and even better as part of my less than healthy but sensational all-time favourite brunch of eggs Benedict.
Assemble your eggs, a capful of white wine vinegar and some salt. Crack each egg into its own ramekin.
Bring a medium sized pot of water to a gentle boil and add the salt and vinegar. Using a spoon (carefully) stir the water vigorously so that a whirlpool forms in the centre of the pot.
Hold the ramekin close to the surface of the water and gently tip the egg into the centre of the whirlpool. The circular motion of the water should wrap the egg white around the yolk and help to form a nice cylindrical egg.
Take the pot off the heat and wait until the egg is cooked. It will continue cooking in the hot water. You need to keep an eye on it while it cooks to make sure that it doesn’t overcook. You want a nice cooked white and a soft yolk. It usually takes about 3-4 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, lift the egg out of the water and drain onto some folded kitchen roll.
Quail Eggs
Not really every day food given their size, quail eggs make great canapés and are also interesting in salads or as mini scotch eggs. Should you want to cook them here is the method and timings, depending on whether you want them soft boiled (a fiddle to peel!), hard boiled, or somewhere in between.
Hard Boiled
Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Gently lower the quail eggs into the boiling water and set the timer to 2 1/2 minutes (or 3 1/2 minutes if you want a completely firm centre – see the comparison pictures below). Remove them and plunge them into a bowl of iced water. This will stop them from overcooking and will make the eggs easier to peel.
Get The Iced Water Ready Before Cooking
Lower the Eggs Gently
Boil Gently for 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 minutes (see note below)
When the time is up, lower the eggs into the iced water
Roll the egg with the flat of your hand on a hard surface to crack the shell and then peel. It can be helpful to peel the eggs under a running tap or in a bowl of cold water.
Timings
The cooking time really depends on how firm you like the egg yolks. I prefer to have a slightly soft, runny yolk so cook the eggs for 2.5 minutes. If you prefer a completely solid yolk with no movement then keep the eggs in the boiling water for 3.5 minutes.
2.5 minutes 3.5 minutes
Soft Boiled
For soft boiled eggs, set the timer for 1 1/2 minutes. When the time is up lift the eggs out. Do not put them in the iced water (as you would for hard boiled) as you will likely want the eggs warm. You might need to use a tea towel to hold the egg while you roll it gently, or wait a minute or two until they are cool enough to peel. They are considerably more fiddly to peel than hard boiled eggs as they are a lot more delicate.
1.5 minutes
