Boil
Boiling is cooking a liquid, or food submerged in it, at the temperature where bubbles form rapidly, rise, and break continuously across the entire surface. At sea level this happens around 212 degrees Fahrenheit for water, and it is the most vigorous of the moist-heat methods. A full or rolling boil means the bubbling is fast and cannot be stirred away, which is stronger than a gentle simmer where only occasional bubbles appear.
Boiling is the go-to method for cooking pasta, blanching vegetables, and hard-cooking eggs, and it is also how you reduce liquids quickly. Salting pasta water heavily and waiting for a true rolling boil before adding the noodles keeps them from sticking and clumping. Remember that many foods, like delicate fish or a slow-cooked stew, are better simmered than boiled, since a hard boil can toughen proteins and break tender pieces apart.
Boiling is the go-to method for cooking pasta, blanching vegetables, and hard-cooking eggs, and it is also how you reduce liquids quickly. Salting pasta water heavily and waiting for a true rolling boil before adding the noodles keeps them from sticking and clumping. Remember that many foods, like delicate fish or a slow-cooked stew, are better simmered than boiled, since a hard boil can toughen proteins and break tender pieces apart.