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Boiled egg with soldiers

By: Amanda Grant

Published: 29 Feb 08
Updated: 8 Nov 24

Boiled egg and soldiers is the classic dish for breakfast in bed, kids’ teatime and feeding poorly patients of all ages back to strength. Use our boiled egg and soldiers recipe to get the perfect runny yolk to dip your toast soldiers into. Remember, if you’re cooking a large egg, add an extra minute to the cooking time.

Nailed the basics? Now take your boiled egg and soldier skills up a notch with these asparagus and pancetta soldiers with soft-boiled eggs – the ultimate Mother’s Day breakfast in bed.

Easy
March 2008

Test kitchen approved

Serves 1
Ready in 10 minutes

Nailed the basics? Now take your boiled egg and soldier skills up a notch with these asparagus and pancetta soldiers with soft-boiled eggs – the ultimate Mother’s Day breakfast in bed.

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Before you start

If you’re boiling eggs to use in other dishes (like egg mayonnaise sandwiches or a salad), transfer the cooked egg into very cold (ideally iced) water to halt the cooking process. This trick doesn’t just mean the eggs will be cool enough to handle sooner – it also makes it easier to peel and will (if hard-boiling eggs) prevent an unappetising grey ring forming around the yolk.

Eggs really benefit from being well seasoned with salt, so a good pinch sprinkled into the yolk is always a good idea. Try ground white pepper as well as the more common black pepper too.

Always use a slotted spoon to gently lower your egg into the water; dropping it in risks burnt hands or the shell cracking when it hits the bottom.

Before you start

Eggs really benefit from being well seasoned with salt, so a good pinch sprinkled into the yolk is always a good idea. Try ground white pepper as well as the more common black pepper too.

Always use a slotted spoon to gently lower your egg into the water; dropping it in risks burnt hands or the shell cracking when it hits the bottom.

Ingredients

1 medium free-range egg
1 wholemeal bread slice
Small piece of softened butter, for spreading

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Method

Half-fill a small saucepan with water. Put on the hob over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, gently lower the egg into the saucepan using a long-handled, slotted spoon. As soon as the water comes back to the boil, set the timer for 4 minutes. This will give you a lovely soft-boiled egg with a runny yolk, which is perfect for dipping your toast soldiers into. If you want the yolk to be slightly firmer, boil the egg for 5 minutes. If you want a hard-boiled egg with a firm yolk you will need to boil it for 7 minutes.
When the egg is done, carefully lift it out of the pan with a slotted spoon. Put it into an egg cup.
Pop the bread into the toaster and toast until golden brown. Put it on a chopping board and spread it with butter, then cut it into long strips to dip into the egg. Serve the egg with salt and pepper pots.