Eggs are simple and fast to prepare, yet also provide variety and taste at a very affordable cost. They provide a large amount of protein and caloric energy for the size of each egg. As a result, they are a particularly good item for breakfast to start the day or augment a later meal.
In this lesson, we will cover the four main or core methods of cooking eggs that can be eaten as is or serve as intermediates for more complex recipes. With only a pinch of salt and pepper, boiled, pan-fried, scrambled, and poached eggs function as key components of any meal.
The basic principle of egg cooking is to use a medium to low temperature, careful timing, and seasoning. When eggs are cooked at too high a temperature or for too long at a low temperature, whites shrink and become tough and rubbery; yolks become tough and their surface may turn gray-green. Eggs, other than hard-cooked, should be cooked until the whites are completely coagulated and the yolks begin to thicken. Always add salt and pepper to the basic methods to suit your tastes.
Boiled
Boiled eggs are the simplest of the four basic ways. There are two different styles of boiled egg-- hard-boiled and softboiled. The methodology is simple, boil the water with eggs inside and time it for the yolk consistency that you want.
For if you don’t know how to put eggs in water.
For hard-boiled eggs, place your eggs in a pot and add enough water to cover the eggs with an additional inch above the eggs. Let the eggs sit in the water for about 15 minutes, depending on the size. DO NOT let the water come to a boil before you add the eggs; it will result in a rubbery texture. After they come out, you can run cold water the eggs or place them in ice water to keep the yolk from blackening. It also facilitates peeling so that the shell separates from the egg more easily.
For softboiled eggs, do the same but for 4 or 5 minutes. To serve out of the shell, cut the egg in half with a knife and scoop it out with a spoon; to serve out of an egg cup, cut the large end of the egg off with a knife and then eat with a spoon.
Finished product. Softboiled are the darker yolks, hardboiled are the lighter.
Pan-fried
There are essentially two styles of pan-fried eggs-- sunny-side up and over easy/hard.
Pretty self explanatory.
Each style starts out the same way. Heat a skillet over medium to high heat, then melt a tablespoon or so of butter or oil in the pan. Break the eggs into the pan and immediately reduce the heat to low. When the fresh eggs are added to the skillet, the albumen will cling to the yolk, so if you break it with the side of your spatula, it will ensure that the whites are set throughout the egg. Cook until the whites are set and the yolks begin to thicken but are not hard. For sunny-side up, take them out now.
For eggs over easy, gently flip the eggs over and count to 15, then take the eggs out. For eggs over hard, flip the eggs and cook until the yolks are completely set.
From top one clockwise-- sunny side up, over easy, over hard. I cut some of the egg white off to make it look pretty.
Scrambled
Beat eggs in a bowl (2 per serving). You can add milk (but really milk isn’t that great for scrambled eggs) or crème fraîche to flavor and give the eggs a fluffier texture. DO NOT season with salt until you are ready to begin cooking-- it will break down the proteins of the egg and make the finished product watery. Make sure you beat the eggs again for fifteen seconds before you add it to the fire to incorporate air and thereby produce large, puffy curds. 
Remember to re-scramble the eggs before you put it into the pan. I like green onions in my eggs so I did that.
Heat your cooking vessel over medium-high heat and melt about two teaspoons of butter (or your choice of oil). Add the eggs, and reduce the heat to medium. As the eggs touching the pan cook, push them towards the center and tilt the pan to distribute the runny parts. When the eggs are almost set, cut the heat and gently scramble the eggs.
Unless you like your scrambled eggs very hard set, turn off the heat before you think it is necessary (it will still look slightly uncooked). The residual heat from the pan and the eggs themselves will finish the cooking.
Finished product.
Poached (Always use fresher eggs when it comes to poaching-- the albumen will break down over time, making it harder to keep the whites around the yolk while it is still coagulating.)
The way that I do poached eggs probably isn’t the “right” way, but it works really well and is a lot less nit-picky. In a pot, lay down a few custard cups at the bottom; if you are worried about being overwhelmed, put fewer cups in the pot. Fill the pot to cover the custard cups and about a quarter of an inch above each. Then add 1/4cup of white vinegar and salt to the water.
The battle station. My pot was only big enough for two custard cup things whereas I woul dhave used 4 if I had a large enough one. I also lowered the boil when I took the picture on the right so you could see the eggs clearer; it should usually be at a boil that’s a little bit higher.
Let the water boil-- if you have a thermometer, the temperature should be kept around 200F throughout the cooking if possible. Run a stopwatch as you poach the eggs. When you are ready to begin, place one egg in each custard cup at 10 second intervals. The cook time of the eggs will be exactly 5 minutes before we take them out; in order to keep it uniform, supply yourself with enough downtime between each egg so that they are all cooked. At the end of the five minutes, use a spoon or ladle with spaces at the bottom take the eggs out and move them to an ice bath (remember at 10 second intervals).
The finished product.
Pretty simple stuff. Just remember to watch your temperature and timing for the hardness of the eggs that you want and you're on your way to cheap and healthy food.
