Eggs are a meal in themselves.
If you have a egg in the house – you won’t go hungry.
But as versatile and delicious as eggs are, they can sometimes be tricky to cook the right way. Today we look at the most popular ways of cooking plain eggs – so they will come out perfect every single time!
Boiled Eggs
A boiled egg for breakfast is a delight for young or old. Get out a small saucepan and fill it at least half way (enough so the egg will be nearly totally submerged – but not quite).
Put the water on to boil. If you have the time – let the eggs come up to room temperature if they have been in the fridge. A quick way is to run it quickly under warm water.
Use a spoon to gently place the egg on the bottom of the saucepan full of boiling water. This is where it is very easy for the egg to crack – so go gently. Start timing the eggs from when the water re-boils after placing the eggs in – not when you do place them in. Here is the guide:
Soft boiled egg: 3 minutes
Medium boiled egg: 3 minutes, 50 seconds
Hard boiled eggs: 4 minutes, 15 seconds
Trick: If you are boiling the eggs to peel them, don’t submerge them in cold water. Add a little cold water to the saucepan and let the eggs sit in the warm water before peeling. Doesn’t matter if your eggs are new or old – they will peel perfectly easy every time!
Poached Eggs
Fresh is best when it comes to poached eggs! If possible see if you can have freshly laid eggs, or eggs no longer than 5 or 6 days old. Take a shallow pan or frypan and half fill it with water and bring the water to the boil. Break each egg into a cup and very gently ‘slip’ it into the just boiling water. As soon as the last egg is in the pan, put the lid on and take the frypan off the heat. Poached eggs take about 3 minutes and 30 seconds to cook perfectly. Lift out the eggs with a egg flipper and rest on a tea towel or kitchen paper to drain otherwise your toast will be soggy. Serve at once.
Scrambled Eggs
Personally I think there are no better scrambled eggs than those done in the microwave. Crack two eggs into a microwave proof dish and whip with a fork until the colour is even and bubbles appear on top. Microwave in 30 second increments until the eggs start to firm up on the outside. Take a metal spoon and scoop the curds away from the side. Continue 30 seconds at a time. When there is only a small amount of liquid left in the centre – the eggs are done. Pour straight onto hot buttered toast and enjoy.
Fried Egg
Melt a teaspoon of butter into a hot frypan until melted and bubbling. Break the egg into a cup and then slide it into the frypan.
The egg should not spit – if this is the case you have the heat up too high. Place a firm fitting lid on the pan (preferably glass because you can see how the egg is doing). When the egg goes completed pale on top, remove the lid and use an egg flip to remove the egg. If you prefer your egg a bit harder, leave a further 30 seconds. Remember that the egg will continue to cook for a few seconds after you remove it from the heat – so just under do the egg and it should be perfect!
