Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror, and I am on sabbatical from elaborate home cooked meals until Christmas. Winda Halim’s egg salad sandwich is a great option for a quick lunch or a light and easy dinner. Winda is another gal pal from pastry school. Like my other friends she is not short on beauty, talent or ambition. Winda earned a business degree before enrolling in pastry school. Her talent and hard work earned her a coveted stage at Pierre Hermé in Paris. Afterwards, she returned home to Indonesia where she resumed her catering business, launched a cookie company and opened a kitchen supply business called Serata Foods.
Winda’s egg salad calls for sesame oil and Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise. I caution you against making substitutions. You’ll simply end up with a different product. The minimal amount of sesame oil imparts a warm toasted flavor to the egg salad while the Kewpie does what Kewpie does – add richness and savoriness unmatched by American mayos. Japanese Kewpie (which is slightly different from the version produced in the US) is available online and in some Asian grocery stores. C-Fresh Market did not carry Kewpie, but I have found it at the New Oriental Food Store on Grand in the East Village. It is absolutely worth the effort to purchase the original Japanese version.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Yield: 2.5 cups
Ingredients
5 hard boiled eggs 5 tablespoons of Kewpie mayonnaise 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon of kosher salt ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ½ thinly sliced scallion Fresh black pepper to taste
Directions
- Remove the yolks from each boiled egg, place them in a bowl and mash them well with a fork. Chop the egg whites and add them to the bowl of mashed yolks.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl of yolks and whites. Mix together with a spatula, but take care not to mash your egg whites while mixing.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 days.
Winda’s original recipe recommends adding a shmear of sour cream to your bread before piling on the egg salad. I didn’t have any on hand. I buttered crusty sour dough and toasted both sides in the broiler and legit ate that entire bowl of egg salad in one sitting.
