Soft‑Boiled Eggs with Homemade Toast Soldiers

Method

1. 1
   30 minutes ahead: take the eggs out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Melt the butter. Finely chop the parsley. Cut the ham and cantal into strips 1 to 1.5 cm wide.

   💡 Tip

   Cold eggs from the fridge dropped into boiling water risk cracking from the thermal shock and the cooking will be uneven. 30 minutes minimum, 1 hour ideally. This is the most important rule in the recipe.
2. 2
   Toast the bread slices in the oven for 5 minutes. They should be crispy on the outside and still slightly soft inside. Remove and cut into 1 to 1.5 cm batons to form the soldiers.

   💡 Tip

   The bread should stay slightly soft inside to absorb the yolk properly. 5 minutes at 200°C, no more. Too long and it becomes too dry to dip.
3. 3
   Assemble 4 versions of soldiers: one buttered, one buttered with a strip of ham, one buttered and rolled in chopped parsley, one with cheese and ham. Adapt to each guest's taste.

   💡 Tip

   Assemble the soldiers right after taking the bread out of the oven, while it's still warm. It takes 2 minutes.
4. 4
   Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil. Add a dash of white vinegar. Lower the eggs in gently with a spoon. Time exactly 3 minutes (very runny yolk) or 3 min 30 (slightly more set). Remove, place in egg cups and slice off the top. Serve immediately with the soldiers.

   💡 Tip

   The vinegar in the water prevents the egg from dispersing if the shell cracks slightly. Lower the eggs in gently with a spoon, don't drop them. If you're worried about breakage, place a cloth at the bottom of the pan.