Some of my favorite childhood memories are having breakfast with my father at a chic French restaurant in Tulsa (chic to a 6 year old anyway). Although I would stare endlessly at the pastry display I always devoured the crispy french baguette served with over easy eggs my father would order. With a simple pat of butter and salt and pepper a meal was transformed into something extraordinary. I've been chasing that restaurants eggs for a long time now and I think I've finally found them, or at least something worthy.
My previous method of poaching eggs, which used to be my favorite, consisted of simmering water and vinegar in a shallow pan and breaking an egg over it carefully until it was cooked thoroughly in all the right places. The vinegar keeps the egg from separating but it leaves a distinct but mild vinegar flavor in the final dish. By making soft boiled eggs you can do away with the vinegar and its even easier because you don't have to worry if the whites of your eggs are done, just follow the rules and you'll have perfect hard boiled eggs every time.
This method comes from Cook's Illustrated. They took 4 pages to talk about soft boiled eggs, I've narrowed it down to three paragraphs so, you're welcome.
Soft Boiled Eggs
Bring 1/2 inch of water to a boil. Add as many eggs as you wish to eat. Cover with a lid and cook for 6 minutes 30 seconds (set a timer.) Remove from heat and run eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel the eggs or crack the egg along it's equator and eat out of its shell. Eat it alone or with butter, baguette and a bed of arugula or any other number of ways. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and enjoy.
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