For the second time since I watched the bizarre instructional video on YouTube, I prepared soft-boiled eggs for breakfast this morning by steaming them. I’d never before made soft-boiled eggs, as I had this idea that I would need a special egg cup to eat them. But, after watching the video, I decided to give it a shot.
I was stunned at how simple the process is and how wonderful the eggs turned out. I used the steamer I normally use to poach eggs, but removed the drop-in egg-poacher. As instructed in the video, I put water in the lower pan and put it on medium-high until it reached a fast boil, then put the basket on top, put two fresh eggs in the basket, and covered it. Exactly six minutes later, I took the eggs out with a pair of tongs and placed them gently into a bowl of ice-cold water. After rolling each of them around for a minute or so in the ice water, I carefully peeled them and put them on a plate.
Cutting into the eggs revealed an almost solid white and a runny yolk, exactly the way I wanted them. Next time, I may keep the eggs on the steamer for six minutes and fifteen seconds.
Steamed soft-boiled eggs. Who knew. Well, I didn’t. But the Australian guy who did the You-Tube video did.
Millie, as I was doing my once-every-so-often clean-up of comments labeled by WordPress as spam, I came across your comment. I don’t know why it was labeled spam, as clearly it’s not. I would love to have an egg cup!
I am going to buy you an egg cup. Maybe a simple, elegant white one from Pier 1. Maybe something a bit harder to find; I despise shopping, but I think I would enjoy an afternoon hunting through second-hand stores for the perfect egg cup for my friend John-who-is-a-writer. I have an Old Country Rose Royal Albert English Fine Bone China one I bought in London in Greenwich Market. I bought myself one cup, saucer, dessert plate, and egg cup in that famous street market. I use the cup, saucer and dessert plate several times a year. I’m not crazy about florals, but the red rose is the symbol of the House of Lancaster (remember the War of the Roses?), and I am a Lancaster, so I thought I needed my own Lancastrian rose tea service for one. I have often put tiny flowers in the egg cup on my tea tray. I have occasionally put pills in the egg cup on my tea tray. But I have only eaten a soft-boiled egg in the egg cup on my tea tray once. You inspire me to do it again, maybe tomorrow. I don’t know when I will buy you an egg cup, but I will. And having once been to your house, I think you would prefer a simple, elegant white one from Pier 1.