My Egg Salad

If you're someone like me who has to have an egg salad sandwich every now and then, you'll agree that flavor & texture are very important.  Egg salad can be used any number of ways, from topping little melba toast for a simple snack, served alongside a salad of mixed greens if one is watching their carbohydrate intake or it can even be enjoyed in a wrap.  For most of us, though, egg salad is best eaten in a sandwich made for work lunches, school lunches or for picnics with the family.  The type of bread used to make this sandwich will completely depend on one's preferences.  Some like good, white bread many of us grew up eating, lightly toasted or not, while others prefer egg salad on whole wheat or multigrain bread (you can also use a gluten-free bread).  A rustic loaf from a favorite bakery will work just as well.

In order to get a good tasting egg salad, one must start with the best eggs, hard boiled at home.  I always use cage-free, organic eggs from nearby farms here in Pennsylvania if you must know, so use the best eggs available in your area.  No matter what, make sure you do boil them yourself and have them cold & ready before you begin, in order to get the right texture.  Using just the right amount of mayonnaise to bind the mixture is key, but so is how much you cut up the eggs when composing the salad.  I don't like adding too much mayo or smashing up my eggs too vigorously, because this will result in a runny egg salad.  There is nothing worse than biting into an egg salad sandwich that is runny.  Unpleasant and unsuitable for eating in my opinion. 

Let me show you how I make my version of this delicious classic.  It's very good.

Egg Salad with multigrain bread.

 Egg Salad (2 servings)

• 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled & sliced in half
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use mayonnaise made with olive oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon capers packed in brine, drained & minced
• large pinch of dried basil, crumbled
• pinch of dry mustard powder
• salt & pepper

The recipe can be multiplied many times over.

With a pastry cutter or two knives, cut up the sliced eggs until you have coarse chunks.  I much prefer to leave visible chunks of egg white and egg yolk, rather than pureeing everything.  This gives a pleasant texture, not at all runny.  When the eggs look like this (above), stop.

Add the mayonnaise, minced capers, crumbled basil (I like to crumble the dried basil in the palm of my hand before I add it) and pinch of dry mustard powder.  With a rubber spatula, carefully blend everything together until you have a thick egg salad.  Taste and add salt & pepper to your liking (I only add 2 pinches of kosher salt and 2 pinches of freshly ground black papper). 

The egg salad is thick, tasty and perfect for sandwiches.  It is ready to be used now or it can be refrigerated, well-covered, for up to one day. 

A good sandwich with the perfect filling. 

My Egg Salad Sandwich. 

I encourage everyone to make some egg salad soon, because it's tasty and very quick to do.  This is just the filling for a sandwich when you want to while away the time at the park reading a good book or when you're at the shore with your family on the weekend.  If you want to make egg salad sandwiches for a picnic, I would assemble them at home only if they are to be eaten within 2 hours or so, otherwise it's best to keep the filling and bread in separate containers until you're ready to eat.  Remember, always keep egg salad well-chilled until serving time and if you so choose, enjoy it with a dill pickle or two like I do.  A favorite lunch of mine during the summer is just the thing when you want a quick and delicious salad.  Enjoy some this weekend!