I'm bringing back the Soft Boiled Egg!! Our generation has let the soft boiled egg become extinct and I'm here to give it the "comeback" it deserves! My mom used to make them. My husband's grandpa ate them. I have a friend who told me that her grandfather used to eat them daily... but these days when I ask people about it, they've never tried them, let alone tried to make them.
I remember liking them when my mom would make them for me, it wasn't that often, so I remember it was a special treat for breakfast. But it wasn't until this past year that I attempted making them myself... one day, I asked my husband if he liked them. He said..."No". Well, I guess I wasn't willing to give up that easily because I made them for him anyway! It's funny how sometimes you realize how well you know your spouse. I knew that his "No"... actually just meant he'd never tried one. Well, since that day it has become one of his very favorite things to eat for breakfast. True story.
Here's why I think soft boiled eggs aren't more popular today... we don't sit down, relax, and enjoy food the way our grandparents did. Back in their day, they didn't overeat, so a soft boiled egg and a slice of toast was plenty. Food was enjoyed in a more ritualistic way, so preparing the egg in the little cup with the little spoon was exactly that...a ritual. They took their time. In today's day and age, one or two soft boiled eggs just doesn't cut it! When the "Grand Slam" and the "all you can eat" breakfast buffets came around, the soft boiled egg just couldn't compete!! Then we heard that eggs were on the "no no" list of foods that would make our cholesterol shoot up...leading to heart attacks... that poor soft boiled egg didn't stand a chance!
At least we now know that the egg got a bad rap and is back on the "healthy" list. I know that the scary part about trying soft boiled eggs is... how do I make them?? I got this great gadget that takes the guess-work out of it!! The "Eggsact Egg Timer".
It's the size of an egg, shaped like an egg, and you just treat it like the other eggs you are boiling! You fill a pot to cover the eggs with cold water and put this in the water too! Bring it to a boil... no need to set a timer!! When it starts to boil, turn it down a bit so that it's bubbling a little, but not BOILING rapidly. You will start to notice a dark ring forming on the edge of the red.
Depending how you like your egg.... soft, medium (or hard, if you're hard boiling eggs), when the dark ring reaches that line, it's done!
Quickly take the eggs out with a slotted spoon (I use my pasta spoon because it's slotted and cradles the egg nicely) and put them in an ice water bowl to stop them from cooking...roll them around for about 30 seconds. Dry them off.
Now, if you want to make them look pretty, get yourself some cute egg cups!
Here's the tricky part that takes some practice.... take a butter knife and "whack" the side of the egg, near the top with the sharpest edge. Once it cracks, peel the cap back so that it opens up...the whites should be firm, the yolk should be slightly runny for a traditional "soft boiled".
Scoop the egg out of the egg "cap" (top) and discard the shell. You can put the "hat" back on the egg or on the side. You'll need a little smaller spoon to eat the egg directly out of the shell like a bowl... or you can just scoop it all out onto toast.... but I don't do that part since going Paleo, but that's goooood ;) I've even seen toast sliced into strips for "dipping" in the egg!...Great for kids! Season with salt and pepper and that's it!!
IF they don't turn out perfectly the way you like...too hard or soft, just make sure the dark line is slightly more or less next time! Once you get it just right...you'll know exactly how you like them from then on!
My husband always shares one of his egg caps with "Stella", she LOVES her egg caps! :)
You can find this great egg timer gadget at kitchen stores and online! It takes up no space and is inexpensive! It's funny how many gadgets they actually sell to help you out with soft boiled eggs.... they also sell an egg top "cutter" so you don't have to whack it with a knife!! I have not tried that.... yet.
Share this with your friends and help bring back the poor Soft Boiled Egg. It's a "fancy" little breakfast that deserves a comeback. Make it a "ritual" for you and your family...they'll remember it. :) On days you have the extra time... do it the way they did it back in the day... get out the nice dishes, take your time, make some tea, and slowly enjoy an egg for a change. It's good for your waistline too!