I came across a technique for cooking eggs that I found revolutionary – steaming. At first I was skeptical, but when I used my steaming basket and water in a sauce pan, it was very easy to keep the temperature consistent which seemed to be key to a tender perfectly cooked egg. Do not leave the kitchen, because the timing was everything. For a hard-cooked egg, 14 minutes produced a yolk which was just firm, for a soft cooked egg 5 1/2 to 6 minutes produced a runny soft yolk. After the cooking time, both need to placed immediately into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. With the soft cooked eggs, work quickly so as not to cool them too much. Surprisingly the soft cooked egg is easy to peel, but start from the larger end – I am not sure why, it just gave me better luck.
Egg Salad
6 eggs, steamed for 14 minutes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup diced celery
black pepper to taste
Place a metal vegetable steamer into a medium sauce pan, add about 1-2 inches of water and bring to a rolling boil
Place the cold eggs into the basket and cover
Keep the rolling boil going and time exactly 14 minutes
Remove quickly at the end of 14 minutes and place in a large bowl of cold water to stop the cooking
When they are cool, crack and remove the shells
Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks
With a small strainer, push the yolks through into a bowl – I hold the strainer with both hands and use my very clean thumbs
Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper to taste and dry mustard and mix well
Cut the whites with an egg slicer
Mix the mayonnaise/yolk into the whites along with the diced celery
Deviled Egg
12 eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
dill sprigs and paprika for serving
Follow the directions for egg salad up to straining the yolks
Add the mayonnaise, dry mustard and salt to the yolks and stir well
Fill the cut egg whites with the yolk mixture and top with a sprig of dill and a sprinkle of paprika if desired
This is what they look like after 14 minutes, just firm
The other secret weapon