Boiled Eggs and Dippies - English soul food!

Ian M.

New member
This is another recipe from my Mum's old cookbook - this is the English/Irish equivalent of "soul food" and it's great if you are a little under the weather:

2 large, fresh eggs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few pats of butter
1 slice fresh white bread - this is super good with whole wheat bread, as well!

Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and gently slide in the eggs. Bring the water back to the boil and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, according to your taste. A four minute egg will still be quite soft, while a five minute egg will almost set the white while the yolk will still be runny and a six minute boil will produce an egg with a soft yolk and a solid white. This is good information to know.

Meanwhile, toast the bread, cut off crusts and spread with butter. Then cut the bread into fingers (Dippies). As soon as the eggs are cooked, pop them into egg cups, put dippies on the side and serve them with sea salt and a pepper mill and butter. This is so great on a chilly morning or if you're a little under the weather and just wanting something comforting. Serve these with a couple of slices of crisp bacon or some sausage. It's great! :whistling:
 

belaine

Bottle Washer
Super Site Supporter
My Canadien Nanna used to make this for me. We called the bread toasties. Still love them. Thanks for posting.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
So, Ian, the eggs are soft-boiled in the shells?

And when you put them in "egg cups", are just the tops of the eggs cut off and you eat them out of the shells? Or do you scoop out the cooked egg into a cup?

Lee
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
I used call these egg & soldiers. Yes Lee, the eggs are soft boiled in their shells & stay in their shells as you eat them. The egg shell should sit nicely in the egg cup.
 

Ian M.

New member
Hi, Lee....I shouldn't have gone off the computer before I saw your post and questions. Miniman is absolutely right - on all counts. These are called Eggs and Soldiers in many areas of British Isles. My Mum was a very proper English girl and she's the one who used to serve these to us kids when we were sick or unhappy about something. Yes, the eggs are soft boiled in the shells and eaten (dipped into) with the Dippies straight out of the shell. Sounds to me like this entire question relates right back to that rose that smells as sweet, no matter what you call it. Thanks, Miniman, for helping to sort this all out.

Lee, you're so right about missing having syrup and butter on your waffles before all else....that's why I usually make these P & J waffle sandwiches from leftover waffles - after I've eaten well already. That way you have it all! :mrgreen:

Ian
 

Ian M.

New member
Just while I'm thinking about this, egg cups aren't very plentiful around here but I found an entire collection of them in an antique shop locally.
Many different designs and shapes - neat. You can always look on ebay, too, for odd-ball stuff like this.

Miniman, what area of the UK are you in? I'd love to compare some stories and pictures of my Mum's life in Truro, Cornwall with you some time. But first I need a crash coarse in how to post photos on the forum!

Ian M.
 

Ian M.

New member
Hi Ian

I'm from Alton in Hampshire.

Ray

Morning, Ray...Thanks for the note on where you are. The only places in England I've ever been in and that was mostly as a kid while my Mum was still alive, were London, of course and Truro, Cornwall. I'm not really sure exactly where things elsewise are located. I'm going to get out my almanac and browse England to find out just where you're located in the country. Top hat or flat cap? We always got such teasing about that as kids. Fallon and I are hoping to be able to take a tour next year through Cornwall, hopefully, the Cotswalds and end up for a ten day cruise around London and the environs. She's pretty excited about this all. Maybe you can give us a head's up on good spots to see. My Mum always told us that spring comes first to Cornwall and that's where she wants to spend some concerted time. Beyond that, it's up for grabs. Ireland, for sure, as my Dad lived a great deal of his life there and we've family still there, too.
How Da missed out on the Netherlands before Grampa died I'll never know!

Ian :)
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
We are between London and Cornwall, about 3/4 hous drive from the M25 (the motorway around London). We are really just getting our Spring now (a bit late). There is so much to see - it just depends what you are into. Just walking around the countryside is great.
 

Ian M.

New member
Thank you, my friend. Now I know exactly where to look on my atlas map to find your location. Thank you, as well for your suggestions. There are a number of small churches in and around Devon where a relatively famous wood carver used to carve tiny mice into the altar rails and it's considered quite a feat to be able to locate his carvings when you tour these small churchs. Fallon is definitely interested in seeing this area and touring as much of Cornwall and the coast as possible. I asked her, why not just stay in New Hampshire but she's adament that it's just not the same and I know she's absolutely right! :thankyou:

Ian
 
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