Chickens are mercurial creatures. Sometimes they lay like crazy, and other times they appear spooked and go barren. Then they like to play little tricks on you. One of our hens hadn’t seemed to be laying in weeks. But then I saw her emerging nervously from within a shrub. I looked beneath the leaves and found 11 eggs.
Chicken behaving suspiciously.
When they’re laying like gangbusters, I’m always looking for interesting ways of using our eggs. I massage them into flour and make homemade pasta, I boil them for Nicoise and Cobb salads, I crack them into congee and over the top of chilaquiles, I fry them and plop them onto a pile of spaghetti. I even do a groovy Spanish-style deviled egg with chorizo, pimenton and lots of olive oil (let me know if you wanna know how to make that one!)
But I’m also always on the prowl for interesting takes on classic egg dishes — the stuff I remember from childhood. And if you’ve got really good eggs, there may be no more noble destination for them than an egg salad sandwich.
The Egg Salad Sandwich assembly line
Here’s my take on one of the world’s best sandwiches, doctored up a bit for contemporary tastes. And of course, the quality of the sandwich will depend on how good your eggs are. So shop wisely!
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Egg Salad Sandwich
for two:
4 farm fresh eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
4 large cornichons, rough cut
sea salt & freshly grated pepper
1/2 cup arugula
4 slices soft wheat bread
Place eggs in a small pot with cold water. Heat to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Peel eggs, place in a large bowl and break up with a tablespoon. Add mayonnaise, onions and cornichons, and mix thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide the egg salad over two slices of bread. Top with arugula and another slice of bread. And enjoy.
skinny girls & mayonnaise 
Jun 28, 2011 @ 00:25:11
This is GREAT! Egg salad sandwiches are one of Steve’s favorites and arugula is another of his favorites and I never thought to put them together. Good going, dude!
Jun 28, 2011 @ 00:28:59
Wow, you’re FAST!!! Make sure you get nice soft wheat bread, and the cornichons give it a nice tanginess — you could use regular pickles instead. And of course, get the best eggs you can!
Jun 28, 2011 @ 00:35:31
No Dijon?
Jun 28, 2011 @ 00:42:24
Nice addition. You definitely need something sour/acidic, which in my sandwich the cornichons kind of take care of. But a little wipe of Dijon could do a man good.
Jun 28, 2011 @ 00:51:34
Yum!!! One of my favorite things!!
Jun 28, 2011 @ 01:03:44
To double-egg the recipe I like to have it on fresh egg bread from Diamond’s Bakery on Fairfax.
Jun 28, 2011 @ 01:33:49
That’s eggcellent!
Jun 28, 2011 @ 03:03:32
I’d like to hear about the deviled eggs. I’ve noticed whether they’re my contribution or someone else’s they are the first to go at a picnic.
Jun 28, 2011 @ 04:11:44
Real easy. It sorta hinges on how delicious egg yolks and olive oil are together. You just mash the egg yolks up with a whole bunch of olive oil and a generous sprinkle of pimentón. Finish with some fleur de sel or Maldon salt, and then top with a thin slice of fried Spanish chorizo. They’ll go faster than anything you’ve witnessed before…
Jun 28, 2011 @ 03:39:52
did you eat those 11 eggs? The *free range hiders*.
Jun 28, 2011 @ 04:09:43
I gave them to friends. ; )
Jun 28, 2011 @ 04:30:02
Well…I hate mayonnaise and I LOVE egg salad…I make mine with mostly egg whites and just enough egg yolk for flavor and color and then I use olive oil…I ALSO LOVE deviled eggs so yes please…recipe!!!! I wish I could have chickens but my dogs might eat them.