I don't recall much about the not-quite-classic-Woody-Allen picture What's Up Tiger Lily, other than that secret spy Phil Moskowitz goes off on a quest with his sidekicks Suki and Teri Yaki to get the recipe for the world's greatest egg salad. I also recall that he never really discloses the recipe, which is a pity, because I've been on a hunt for the finest egg salad ever since I can remember.
Perfect is a term that I toss about a lot, and it's always with the idea that it's a goal that may be aimed for but never realized. This specific recipe for egg salad is about as near to flawless as I've ever had. It's not fancy, there are no special ingredients, but it's beautifully balanced, with a bright, fresh flavor, and a texture that ranges from rich and creamy to crisp and fresh.
Any good egg salad starts with precisely boiled eggs with a just-cooked-but-not-chalky yolk and soft whites. Luckily, and not-so-coincidentally, I spent a great lot of time inventing a recipe for them, so we're starting off on the right foot.
Crushing It
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The main question when it comes to how to put together an egg salad is how to cut your eggs. I started with four alternative approaches, using a simple recipe that incorporated mayonnaise, diced red onions, and diced celery.
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The first was to force them through the holes of a box grater. It's easy, it leads to even final results, but it also looks and feels...like an egg shoved through a box grater. The small slivers are just off-putting.
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Chopping with a knife works better in terms of finishing texture, but it's a bit of a pain—eggs are slippery and don't want to sit still beneath the blade of a knife. Doing a large batch using this approach is a hassle.
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Lastly, I tried shattering the eggs with a strong whisk. This was by far the easiest and nicest way, generating a beautiful thick texture with no effort. The one thing I wanted it did better was break down the yolks into a creamy sauce that bonds with the mayonnaise. Whisking harder helped, but then the whites broke down too much.
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The solution? Getting dirty.
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Crushing the eggs by hand is the way to go. Your hands are softer than the rough wires of a whisk, allowing you to break down the yolks without over-crushing the whites. You end up with an egg salad that has great large pieces of egg white, all linked together in a thick, creamy mush of yolks and mayonnaise.
Fine Tuning Flavour
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Almost there. All we gotta do is season this thing up. I normally prefer red onions because I enjoy the way the gorgeous red cubes intersperse with the yellow eggs, but I'd never really thought whether they were optimum in terms of flavor. I made a couple batches of egg salad using a half dozen various varieties of onion (yellow, white, red, sweet, shallots, and scallions), and was astonished to find that the scallions were nearly universally picked as the best of the group.
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Similarly, most persons prefer significantly less celery nubs than I personally include (and nobody seems to appreciate sliced radishes added to the mix). I think majority reigns here (though of course, you should always feel free to adjust the ratios according to your own tastes).
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Finally, most egg salads are heavy, leaden things. I wanted an egg salad that tasted bright and fresh, yet being thick and creamy. The key? A dab of lemon juice and lemon zest, combined with a pinch of parsley.
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And you know what? Damn the committee: I enjoy radishes on my egg salad sandwiches, and they're going to stay there.
Read Also: Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Egg Salad
Ingredients
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6 big hard steamed eggs, cooled and peeled
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1/4 cup homemade or store-bought mayonnaise
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1/2 teaspoon zest and 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon
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1/3 cup finely chopped celery (approximately 1 short stalk)
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1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light green sections only (approximately 2 scallions)
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1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Bread, lettuce, and thinly sliced radishes, for serving (optional)
Directions
- Combine eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery, scallions, and parsley in a medium bowl. Using your hands, squeeze eggs between your fingers, mixing contents of bowl until reduced to desired consistency; alternatively, crush and mix with a strong whisk. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve as sandwiches with sliced radishes, lettuce, and bread, or as preferred.
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