No matter what I do, I can’t get a perfect hard-boiled egg for my Nicoise salad. I want the kind you see in magazines, with the bright orange, glistening yolk and no green gunk!
This is the way I do it. Start the eggs in cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil. Immediately bring the temperature down to a simmer for 8 minutes, then plunge the egg into ice water to stop the cooking. For a slightly runnier yolk, but still cooked, simmer for just 6 minutes.
Why salted water?
For flavor. The salt permeates the shell. Eggshells are porous, which is why you don’t want to store them next to your onions, but you do want to store them in a bowl with truffles for truffle-scented eggs.
John Broening, Duo Restaurant, 2413 W. 32nd Ave., 303-477-4141
