Cooking Cove: Not your usual egg salads from the Easter Bunny
By Barbara Beltrami
Wasn’t it fun coloring Easter eggs? And aren’t they pretty? But then what do you do when you’re stuck with all those eggs? Egg salad, of course! Try a curried egg salad on croissants or an egg salad tartine with fresh herbs, and if you still have left over Easter eggs, think about a nice big salad Nicoise or an iceberg wedge with gribiche. They all will take those hard-boiled eggs to new places on your palate.
Curried Egg Salad on Croissants
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
Salt and white pepper to taste
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1/4 cup finely minced celery
1/2 roasted red pepper, finely minced
Dash cayenne pepper
4 croissants, halved
DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl combine the eggs, curry powder, salt and pepper, mayonnaise, chives; celery, red pepper and cayenne. Spread on 4 croissant bottoms, then top with croissant tops; cut each croissant in two. Serve with mango chutney.
Egg Salad Tartines with Fresh Herb Topping
YIELD: Makes 6 tartines
INGREDIENTS:
8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
6 slices 12-grain bread, toasted
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
1/4 cup snipped chives
1/4 cup chopped chervil
1/4 cup chopped dill
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon orange juice
DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl combine the eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread mixture on toasted bread. In a small bowl gently toss together the scallions, basil, chives, chervil, dill, olive oil, orange juice, and salt and pepper; then sprinkle over egg salad. Serve warm or at room temperature with bread and butter pickles and crudités.
Salade Nicoise
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 1/2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 head Boston lettuce, washed drained and leaves separated
1 pound creamer potatoes, scrubbed, boiled and halved
1/2 pound haricots verts, trimmed and steamed till al dente
8 radishes, thinly sliced 8 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
10 ounces Italian olive oil -packed ventresca tuna
1/2 cup Kalamata or Nicoise olives
DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl whisk together the vinegar, shallot, mustard, oil and salt and pepper. Line a large salad bowl with the lettuce, then the potatoes and drizzle 1/3 of the oil and vinegar mixture over it; add the haricots verts and radishes and drizzle another 1/3 of the mixture over them, and finally arrange the tomatoes, eggs, tuna and olives on top and drizzle the remaining 1/3 of the mixture over them. Serve at room temperature with crusty bread and unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil and a chilled dry white wine.
Iceberg Wedge with Gribiche
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
4 wedges iceberg lettuce, washed and drained
2 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
6 cornichons, chopped
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS: Arrange lettuce wedges on plates or a platter. Place eggs, cornichons, chives, garlic, capers, mustard, lemon juice, oil and salt and pepper in jar of electric blender; puree until smooth, then pour evenly over wedges and sprinkle with parsley. Serve at room temperature with ham and scalloped potatoes.