Why even write about an egg salad sandwich? Surely there must be more interesting and exotic pairings available for discussion and review? Of course there are options that are far more interesting, but when it comes to simplicity and ease, the egg salad sandwich is hard to beat.
Homemade Egg Salad Sandwich
It requires little effort to think of the infinite number of food pairings combined between two slices of bread, stuffed into a split roll, wrapped in pita or topped on a piece of bread (open faced). Whether you order a sandwich from a deli, diner or one of the numerous sandwich shop chains that all are attempting to differentiate themselves, the options are staggering. Yet, despite all of these options, the ability to order an egg salad sandwich is far and few between.
Egg salad has been around for over hundred years, sometime in the 1800’s, but not before 1762 (formal invention of the sandwich) with the modern rendition of mayonnaise being defined in 1756. One could say that egg salad represents English-French harmony at a time when their military’s were battling one another across Europe. Regardless of its beginnings, egg salad became a part of American cuisine and available to lunch patrons, served on a bed of lettuce in the early 1900’s. In time, the salad was placed between two slices of bread.
Peeled Hard Cooked Eggs in Bowl
Diced Hard Cooked Eggs in a Bowl
Homemade Egg Salad (Eggs, Black Pepper, Salt & Mayonnaise)
The effort to make an egg salad sandwich is minimal with the final result being comfort food, a memory of sandwiches that our mothers made for us as children. Most of us have the five basic ingredients (eggs, mayonnaise, salt, black pepper and bread) in our kitchens almost all of the time. The following recipe is enough to make four sandwiches and can be increased or decreased with no difficulty.
Ingredients:
- 8 Peeled Hard Cooked Eggs (Baked or Boiled)
- 3 – 4 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise (Substitute 1 – 2 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise with Dijon Mustard for a tangy alternative)
- Salt & Black Pepper
- 8 Slices of Bread (Wheat, Sourdough, Rye, or your personal preference)
Instructions:
- Slice and Dice the Peeled Eggs (I find using a butter knife with the egg in the palm of my hand the easiset.)
- Add the Salt and Black Pepper to taste (a pinch or two) and mix well.
- Add the Mayonnaise, mixing the entire ingredients well.
- Make your sandwiches.
An Egg Salad Sandwich described above is simple and satisfying, but also provides a background for numerous possible combinations. One can mix in diced pickles / vegetables, relish, spices and herbs in addition adding lettuce, arugula, tomatoes or cucumbers to the sandwich. If you want to forgo the bread completely, a scoop of egg salad on a bed of lettuce or sliced ripe tomatoes is very nice or stuffed into scooped out tomato or sweet red bell pepper is just enjoyable. In the end, the question to ask is when was the last time you either made or ate egg salad?
