Eggcellent Egg Salad

Do you know how to boil an egg? I mean perfectly boil an egg, so that the yolk is cooked through but still creamy yellow--and most definitely not covered with that nasty gray film?

I loved boiled eggs. Deviled, turned into egg-salad, sliced and added to spinach salad or just eaten on its own, dipped in a little salt and pepper, boiled eggs are a nutritious and easy snack. But I cannot stand them when the yolks are gray. Ick. Ick. Ick.

So please, please cook them this way and I promise you your days of yucky yolks are gone forever!



Place as many eggs as you want to cook in a pot and cover with cold water.


Place the pan on the stove and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and turn the heat off. Yes off. Trust me. Set your timer for exactly 10 minutes and walk away...but not too far. And don't lift the lid to peek.


After 10 minutes, lift eggs from the pan.


And immediately submerge into an ice bath. Leave the eggs there until they are cool enough to handle.


Admittedly I suck at peeling eggs. I've read that older eggs peel easier, but no matter what I can't get them perfectly peeled. But I've found if you slip a spoon under the shell, it helps them come out a little better. Also peeling them under water helps some.


Here comes the best part....slice them in half and remove the yolks. Just look at them! Golden and beautiful...


Silky and shiny...and not gray at all. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Today I used my boiled eggs to make egg salad. Most recipes call for equal parts yolks and whites, but I prefer to use about half as many yolks as whites, just to lighten it up a little. To the chopped eggs, I also add some minced celery, Dijon mustard, light mayo, salt and pepper. And I like to top it off with some paprika and chopped parsley for color.





You can serve this salad on toasted sourdough bread (my favorite), or over a bed of lettuce. It also tastes great spooned onto saltine crackers. That's how my kids like it. Oh, I almost forgot to mention this--always make sure your eggs are free-range and organic. Better yet, find a local farmer who sells eggs or buy them at your farmers' market.



Egg Salad
Printable Recipe

Egg salad is a quintessential diner lunch menu item, and for good reason--it's delicious and simple to make. This recipe uses half as many yolks as whites, as well as light mayonnaise to help lower the fat and calorie count a bit. But feel free to use equal parts yolks as whites and/or full-fat mayonnaise if you want. Serve on toasted sourdough, over a bed of lettuce or on a cracker.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: serves 3-4

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 stalk of celery, minced
1/4 cup light mayo
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch of salt and pepper
pinch of paprika
1 teaspoon of chopped parsley

Preparation:

1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let eggs sit for 10 minutes, remove and place immediately in an ice bath. Peel eggs when they are room temperature.

2. Remove yolks and dice the egg whites. Place in a small mixing bowl. Dice 3 yolks and add to the bowl with the whites.

3. Add mayo, mustard, and salt and pepper and fold carefully to combine. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.