Boiled eggs

Boiled eggs are cooked by immersing eggs (typically chicken's eggs) in boiling water with their shells unbroken. (Eggs cooked in water without their shells are known as poached eggs; see Poaching (cooking).) Hard-boiled eggs are produced by boiling until both the egg yolk and the egg white are solid, while for soft-boiled eggs the yolk, and sometimes even the white, remains liquid. Boiled eggs are commonly eaten in Europe, North America and other parts of the Western world, as well as Africa. They are generally considered easier to cook than many other ways of preparing eggs, while hard-boiled eggs are easier to cook than soft-boiled eggs.

Soft-boiled eggs
Soft-boiled eggs are typically cooked by placing the eggs in a pan of boiling water and then simmering for approximately three minutes.[1]. An egg timer can be used to measure the time the egg is boiled.
Due to the undercooked yolk, soft-boiled eggs are not recommended for people who may be susceptible to salmonella, such as very young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.[2]

Serving
Soft boiled eggs are commonly served in egg cups, where the top of the egg is cut off with a knife or egg scissors, using a teaspoon to scoop the egg out. Other methods include breaking the eggshell by tapping gently around the top of the shell with a spoon,[3] and even cutting the egg lengthwise as to produce two halves making it easier to scoop the egg from its shell[citation needed]. This method requires a horizontal egg cup to keep the egg from rolling around on the plate. Soft-boiled eggs can be eaten with buttered toast cut into strips, which are then dipped into the runny yolk. In Great Britain, these strips of toast are known as soldiers.

Boiled eggs are typically boiled for 12-19 minutes, depending on the size of the egg.[4] They can be eaten warm or cold. Cold hard-boiled eggs can be cut up and put into a salad or sandwich. Hard-boiled eggs can also be eaten warm in an egg cup without removing the shell, especially for people who want the "egg cup experience" of soft-boiled eggs without risking salmonella poisoning. Most people eat a hard-boiled egg without a cup.
Hard-boiled eggs are also a popular addition to many Japanese soup dishes, such as udon and ramen. Hard-boiled eggs are mixed with butter to form Finnish Egg Butter.

Source and Read More http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiled_eggs

Hard Boiled Eggs

How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

I love hard boiled eggs. For years I ate one every morning until my doctor told me that you shouldn't eat the same food every single day. So now I eat them only a couple of times a week. Sometimes with a little salt, usually without. Used to be that people were scared of eating eggs because of the cholesterol in the egg yolks. Now research has found that eggs also raise the good cholesterol that bodies need. When it comes to boiling eggs, the biggest problem is that people can easily over-cook them, leading to a dark green color around the yolk, and a somewhat sulphuric taste. Here's a my method for cooking hard boiled eggs so that they don't get over-cooked:

1 First make sure that you are using eggs that are several days old. If this is Easter time, and everyone is buying their eggs at the last minute, buy your eggs 5 days in advance of boiling. (See the reference to using old eggs in Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking). Hard boiling farm fresh eggs will invariably lead to eggs that are difficult to peel. If you have boiled a batch that are difficult to peel, try putting them in the refrigerator for a few days; they should be easier to peel then.
Source and Read more http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/005251how_to_make_perfect_hard_boiled_eggs.php