The Perfect Egg Salad

I got this technique from a Toronto restaurateur who ran a happening breakfast and lunch joint.

What I find so interesting about this simple, unassuming and generally beloved dish is that you will get as many opinions on how it should be prepared as the number of people you ask. Some prefer it with celery and onions for the extra crunch, some add mustard, some add dill, some add relish or pickles and the list just goes on. The two things that are generally unanimous when it comes to the egg salad, is that people prefer it to be creamy and most are not aware of how to get that desired creamy consistency. And no, it’s not by adding more mayo.

I’m a firm believer that ingredients in recipes matter the most in baking recipes, where precision is key and not all ingredients could be swapped or omitted. In savoury dishes, however, I find the technique to be far more important than a list of ingredients. Once you know the technique that will produce the best texture of your dish – you can alter the ingredients to fit your preference.

I constantly think of the best ways/methods to prepare any dish, but until I observed this technique – I have to admit, as simple as it may be, it didn’t occur to me.

We start by putting all of the yolks, mayo and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and whisking into smooth and creamy “sauce.” That’s what gives the egg salad that yellow and creamy look (not mustard and not extra mayo.) Then we throw in the egg whites and break them down with the same whisk while gently mixing and folding into the egg yolk sauce. You can use a knife to chop the egg whites, it’s entirely up to you, but by using the same whisk you are dirtying less dishes as well as ensuring you will have plenty of egg white chunks of different sizes for a more desirable consistency.

Next thing is the mayo to egg ratio. I prefer 1 heaping tablespoon per 2 eggs. For make ahead sandwiches, I decrease the amount of mayo. Start at a scant tablespoon of mayo per two eggs, taste and see how you like it, as it’s always easier to add more mayo.

For me, that’s a perfect egg salad sandwich. I simply like for eggs to shine on their own and I don’t try to turn my egg salad into deviled eggs. But that’s the beauty of home-cooking. You are the boss of your recipes! If you like pickles, olives, relish, dill, scallions, onions, celery, etc. in your egg salad – go ahead! Fold it in!

Oh! Last but not least. When serving this for a group of people I serve it with chopped celery, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, chopped scallions, dill and parsley on the side. This way anyone can build their own egg salad sandwich according to their preference.