- 6 large organic eggs that you will preferably have removed from the fridge 30 minutes to an hour beforehand so their shells won't crack Yields 6 hard-boiled eggs (what, did you think they'd reproduce?) Wire egg sieveBring a medium pan of water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Lower the eggs into the water -- my mother-in-law once gave us a wire egg sieve that proves very handy for this maneuver -- and simmer for exactly 8 minutes (9 if you don't want a soft center in your yolk). While the eggs are cooking, fill a medium bowl with cold water and add a handful of ice cubes (remember to refill the ice cube tray if you prefer to avoid this). When the timer goes off, lift the eggs out of the water with a slotted spoon (again, I use my wire egg sieve) and put them in the bowl of ice water; this will halt the cooking. When the eggs are cold -- this will take just a couple of minutes -- tap them gently* on the counter to crack their shell all around, and return to the bowl a few more minutes: the water will infiltrate the eggs beneath the shell and make them easier to peel. (Also, when peeling the eggs, notice that there is a thin skin between the white and the shell; once found and ruptured, that skin provides good leverage to peel off the shell.) * If you're not using all six eggs right away, don't crack or peel the ones you're saving. Just write a capital "D" (for dur, hard) on each shell with a pencil, to make sure no one mistakes them for fresh; this is how my mother does it and I know no other way. Keep the eggs in the fridge and eat within a day or two. |