Make the meal: a perfect egg?

Part of a limited series on unique dishes for the holidays

What came first - the egg or the perfect egg? Read on to see if my idea of ovo-exactitude matches your own! ~JRC

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¿El huevo perfecto?

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Eggs - not quite an exotic dish, I know. But hear me out.

Egg consumption is almost ubiquitous and an everyday thing for many. Even non-vegan vegetarians will eat one now and again. Eggs are so often consumed that we overlook how gourmet-awesome they can be. The rich yolks, velvety whites - eggs are ethereal, a true delicacy when we take the time to appreciate them - and prepare them well.

But ask ten people how they like their eggs, and you'll likely get ten different answers. Fried, poached, boiled; hard, medium, soft. As is, with no more than a bit of salt, or decked out in an omelet. People love eggs, although it's rare to have two individuals like them precisely the same way.

For me? My ideal egg is softboiled.

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The thing with eggs, though, is that saying "softboiled" isn’t enough explainantion; it's a continuous spectrum and one needs to be specific.

For some, soft means anything except completely hard. To others, if the white isn't a little bit runny, the egg isn’t soft enough. In my kitchen a perfect softboiled egg has a firm egg white with a runny yolk that has just begun to harden on its outermost rim.

Making that egg can be a bit of a challenge, though.

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Egg preparation is influenced by everything from temperature to elevation. The size of the egg matters too. As does the quantity of water used to boil them. And how many eggs one cooks at a time will affect all the other variables. So coming up with a consistent protocol for egg boiling can be elusive.

That said, with a little effort, the perfect egg is within reach.

Here’s how I do my version of “perfect.”

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I put eggs cold from the fridge right into boiling water. Some claim you'll too often break the shells this way. But I've found if you gently place the eggs into the boiling water using a spoon, they rarely crack. And starting out with cool centers aids in achieving the softboiled state I like. Granted, this all works for me because we store eggs in the fridge here in the US. Room temp eggs will change everything.

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For two large eggs, I generally use a heavy bottom saucepan with about 32 ounces (1 L) of boiling water. With a wooden spoon, I slip each cold-from-the-fridge egg into the rapidly boiling water. These I then cook uncovered for six minutes and 15 seconds (a little less for smaller eggs and a little longer for larger ones - or when cooking more than two).

Once complete, I place the whole pan, eggs and all, in the sink. Running tap water into the pan replaces the hot with cold after about twenty seconds, leaving the eggs warm but no longer cooking. I then take them from the water to rest on the counter for a minute or two before peeling.

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I like to eat my perfect eggs with a bit of salt, some cracked black pepper, and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Sometimes I throw on a dash of Tobasco. And that's it.

It’s pure heaven. And honestly, one of my favorite meals. Period.

Give it a try not for breakfast but for dinner one evening. Perhaps with a glass of your favorite beverage of choice. A few toast points, some good company, and a cozy fire will make for a holiday meal to remember.

The perfect egg - anything but ordinary.

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Until next time.

JRC