Whiteley Creek Homestead

Look at the lovely, fresh, multi-colored, pastel eggs that a neighbor placed in my eager, grateful hands a couple days ago. They're almost too pretty to crack open… but I did. Two of them found their way into egg salad spread atop slices of Flax Irish Soda Bread for Dick's and my fishing outing yesterday.   

Since eggs shouldn't be boiled because it makes them tough and rubbery, the process is correctly named "coddling" or coddled eggs. As soon as the water just begins to boil, turn the heat source off and cover the pan with a lid. At the end of 20 minutes, drain the water, then run cold water into the pan to cool the eggs. Allow to remain in the water for a few minutes to finish cooling before peeling. As long as you adhere closely to the timing, you'll achieve perfect eggs every time with no green ring. Here are two tips: 1)In lieu of peeling a boiled egg, especially a fresh one with a difficult to remove shell, cut it in two and scoop it out of the shell like an avocado. Fast. No frustratingly stubborn shell fragments that refuse to release their grip without taking chunks of egg white. 2)When making deviled eggs, to achieve uniform wall thickness for stuffing a halved egg with yolk/mayo mixture, store eggs point side down to keep the yolk centered.