Soft Boiled Eggs with Anchovy Salt
Achieving a soft-boiled egg is a matter of strict timing in rapidly boiling water, while the anchovy salt provides a punch of salt and depth that replaces standard seasoning. You lower room-temperature eggs into a rolling boil, cook for exactly six and a half minutes, and finish them with a pungent, hand-crushed mixture of oil-packed anchovies and sea salt.
The secret is the transition.
Your eggs must move directly from the boiling water into an ice bath to stop the cooking process, otherwise the residual heat will solidify the yolk.
- small saucepan
- slotted spoon
- small bowl for ice water
- mortar and pestle
What goes in.
- 4large eggs, room temperature
- 2oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 1 tspcoarse sea salt
Creating the Compound Salt
Use the pestle to crush the anchovies into the salt until they form a coarse, dark paste. This binds the mineral salt with the umami-rich fats of the fish.
The method.
Prepare the ice bath
Fill a bowl with cold water and a generous handful of ice cubes. Set it next to your stove.
Boil the water
Bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil—enough to cover the eggs by an inch.
Lower the eggs
Use a slotted spoon to gently lower each egg into the water. Reduce the heat slightly to maintain a simmer so the eggs don't crack against the bottom.
Time the cook
Set a timer for exactly six and a half minutes. Keep the water at a gentle, consistent bubble.
Shock and peel
Move the eggs immediately to the ice bath. Let them sit for three minutes before peeling gently under a thin stream of cool water.
Season
Slice the eggs in half and sprinkle a small pinch of the anchovy salt directly onto the exposed yolks.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Prick the larger end of the egg with a thumbtack before boiling to prevent the shell from cracking in the heat.
If the eggs are straight from the fridge, add an extra thirty seconds to the cook time.
Store any leftover anchovy salt in a small glass jar in the fridge for up to three days.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know if the egg is done?
At six and a half minutes, the white will be firm and set, while the yolk remains viscous and warm, just shy of runny.
Can I use tinned anchovies in water?
No; look for anchovies packed in olive oil. They provide the necessary fat to emulsify with the salt during the grinding process.
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