serves 2
Egg salad makes a convenient lunch if you are not transporting it anywhere in the summer. There are always eggs and mayonnaise in the fridge, and that’s all you strictly need as long as you add copious grindings of black pepper to break up the eggy monotony.
But one day, I was in the mood to zip up my sandwich with various seasonings and condiments. My idea was to approach egg salad like deviled eggs, adding pungent dashes of this and that as I would to the yolk mixture before stuffing it back into its wobbly egg white boat.
I opened the fridge. There were the anchovies singing their little fishy siren song from their cylindrical glass jar. How could I resist?
I chopped them up and mixed them into the mayo, adding cider vinegar for brightness, garlic for oomph, and a little smoked paprika for heat and color (and because no deviled egg is complete without paprika). Then I layered the egg salad onto toasted bread. There were ripe tomatoes on the counter, and I sliced one up and nestled it over the eggs. It added the perfect juiciness—and a certain je ne sais quoi. Now I make my signature egg salad whenever the craving strikes, which is quite often, it turns out.
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 anchovies, minced
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Pinch hot smoked paprika
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch kosher salt
2 large eggs, hard-cooked, peeled, and chopped
4 slices bread, toasted
1 ripe tomato, sliced
1. In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, anchovies, vinegar, and paprika. On a cutting board, use the flat side of a knife to mash together the garlic and salt until a paste forms (or use a mortar and pestle). Add the garlic paste to the bowl and toss well to combine. Mix in the eggs.
2. Divide the salad between 2 slices of bread, top with tomato, and sandwich with the remaining 2 bread slices. Serve immediately.