Basic Egg Salad With Or Without The Yolk

As we revisit some of the basic cooking skills from earlier this year, I thought adding a few lunch items to the blog could be of value.  Eggs are simply an awesome food group with so many degrees of variation and use, and as stated previously, they are cheap.

Having hard-boiled eggs in the fridge are great for snacking, taking to class, adding protein to your diet, and for making egg salad sandwiches.  And you can do this several different ways.  I am going to touch upon the 'Classic Egg Salad Sandwich', but I have also listed a variation for those of you who hate egg yolks or who prefer a smoother texture:  'Simple Egg White Salad Sandwich'.

Note: 
If you are going to take the time to hard-boil eggs, go ahead and make a few extra.  These will last in the fridge for a few extra days long after the egg salad has vanished.

Equipment:
Large 5-qt sauce pan

Ingredients:
6 hard-boiled eggs
1/3 cup of mayo (use Miracle Whip if you like a sweeter version)
1-2 Tbls of celery, finely diced (some recipes use 1 Tbls of sweet relish or pickles)
1-2 Tbls of shallot or onion, finely diced
Pinch of salt
Fresh pepper
Spritz of lemon

For a lighter version without yolks:
6 hard-boiled egg whites
1/3 cup of mayo
1-2 Tbls of red onion
Pinch of salt and pepper
Pinch of dried dill (optional)
Pinch of dry mustard (optional)

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Lay eggs into the sauce pan in a single layer and cover with 1-2 inches of water.

3. Bring water and eggs to a boil.  Reduce heat to LOW and cover for 30 seconds.

4. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
5. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes.

6. Easily peel eggs and chop into a bowl.  (Remove yolks prior to chopping if using the second version)

7. Add finely diced celery or pickles or relish (if using), onion, and mayo.

8. Add your spices and lemon.  Fold mixture together gently.
9. Heap a sturdy amount onto sourdough, wheat, toast, or rye.
10.  Add any condiments, i.e. lettuce or tomato, and enjoy.

Classic Egg Salad Sandwich

Egg-white Egg Salad Sandwich

Sometimes I skip all the extras and just enjoy a pure egg salad sandwich without the onion, celery or additional flavors--just as good--especially if you haven't been to the grocery store in a while and your pantry is devoid of everything else.