with Sriracha-Sesame Sauce
HANDS-ON TIME
15 MIN
TOTAL TIME
25 MIN
Serves 6
I moved to Manhattan in 2014, to a downtown neighborhood known as the Financial District. Although the area is becoming more residential, with more good places to eat, it’s still a bit of a wasteland at night after the bankers go home. So thank heaven for the North End Grill. The chef, Eric Korsch, serves an egg-mayonnaise starter that I just adore: boiled eggs on baby lettuces, topped with housemade mayonnaise. I mean, what’s not to like? Okay, maybe this recipe’s kinda old-fashioned, but I think it deserves a comeback. I’ll do my part with an Asian-inflected riff. I not only serve these eggs at parties but sometimes make a few at breakfast, just for me.
Fill a medium bowl with ice and water to make an ice bath. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the eggs into the water and simmer over medium heat for exactly 7 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to the ice bath to cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, and sesame oil. Season the sauce with salt.
Very gently crack the eggs on a work surface and then carefully peel off the shells. Using a paring knife, cut the eggs in half lengthwise and transfer the halves to a small platter (be careful not to hold the cut eggs sideways for more than a second or you’ll lose all that delicious yolk). Spoon a little bit of the sauce on each egg and sprinkle them with toasted sesame seeds and minced chives or scallions. Serve cold or at room temperature.
DO IT AHEAD The soft-boiled eggs and sauce can be refrigerated in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days.
TIP One thing that can be annoying with serving eggs like these (deviled eggs, too), is that they easily slide all over the place. I recommend sprinkling a thin layer of kosher salt on the platter, or just under each egg, so the food stays put.