BOILED EGG

BOILED EGG

Use an egg already at room temperature if possible, not one straight from the fridge as otherwise it may crack. If you prick the top of the shell once with a special gadget or a clean pin, the egg will not crack while cooking. (My daughter-in-law Barbara taught me this, and it really does work.)
Slip the egg carefully into a small saucepan, cover with warm (not boiling) water and add ½ tsp salt (to seal up any cracks). Bring to the boil, note the time and turn down the heat before the egg starts rattling about in the pan. Simmer gently, timing from when the water begins to boil, using the table below:


Size                                 Time                  Description
Large/Medium                    3 mins                     soft-boiled

Large/Medium                    4 mins                     soft yolk, hard white

Large/Medium                    10 mins                   hard-boiled


SOFT-BOILED
Remove carefully from the pan with a spoon, put into an egg cup and tap the top to crack the shell to stop the egg continuing to cook inside.
HARD-BOILED
Remove the pan from the heat and place under cold, running water to prevent a black ring forming round the yolk. Peel off shell and rinse in cold water to remove any shell still clinging to the egg.