Perfect hard-boiled eggs
Julia Child has the quintessential technique for cooking hard-boiled eggs.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat and bring just to the boil; remove from heat, cover the pan, and let sit exactly 17 minutes.
When the time is up, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice cubes and water. Chill for 2 minutes while bringing the cooking water to the boil again. (This 2-minute chilling shrinks the body of the egg from the shell.)
Transfer the eggs back to the boiling water, bring to the boil again, and let boil for 10 seconds. (This expands the shell from the egg.) Remove eggs, and place back into the ice water.
Chilling the eggs promptly after each step prevents that dark line from forming and makes the eggs easier to peel. If time allows, leave the eggs in the ice water after the last step for 15 to 20 minutes.
The peeled eggs will keep perfectly in the refrigerator, submerged in water in an uncovered container, for 2 to 3 days.