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Filling: Tarragon Egg Salad

Source of Recipe


From "Basic to Brilliant, Y'all" by Virginia Willis



List of Ingredients



• 6 large eggs
  
• 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
  
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  
• 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon (or chives, dill, or fennel fronds)
  
• Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
  
• 1 small bunch watercress, tough stems removed
  
• 8 slices white sandwich bread or brioche, cut ½-inch thick
  






Instructions



1. To hard-cook the eggs, place the eggs in a saucepan and add water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat (you will see bubbles around the sides of the pot). Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes for slightly soft eggs for egg salad, or 12 minutes for firmer eggs for deviled eggs and such. Drain the eggs and rinse them under cold running water. Set aside to cool completely.
   
   
2. To peel the eggs, tap each egg gently on the counter or sink all over to crackle it. Roll the egg between your hands to loosen the shell. Peel, starting at the large end, while holding the egg under running cold water; this facilitates peeling and also removes any stray shell fragments.
   
   
3. Halve the eggs and place in a bowl. Using a pastry blender or a fork, mash the eggs until slightly coarse. (I like the pieces of white to be about the size of an almond so that they don't become too small when you fold in the dressing.)
   
   
4. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and tarragon. Add to the mashed eggs and season with salt and white pepper. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and white pepper.
   
   
5. Place four slices of the bread on a clean work surface. Divide the egg salad equally among the bread and top with the watercress. top with the remaining four slices of bread. Using a serrated knife, halve on the diagonal. Serve immediately.
   
   Serves 4
   
   
   
   • Brilliant: Egg Salad and Smoked Salmon Canapés
   The flavor of smoked salmon marries well with egg salad. To prepare a Brilliant (and admittedly slightly prissy) canapé, place the slices of brioche on a clean work surface. Place 4 to 6 ounces very thinly sliced smoked salmon in a single layer on the bread. Top the salmon with a thin, even layer of egg salad. Then, using a round cutter and pressing straight down, cut out individual, bite-size open-face sandwiches. When you are ready to serve, garnish each canapé with a single tarragon leaf. Serve immediately.
   
   To make ahead:
   Prepare the canapés and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet without the final tarragon leaf garnish. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with flavorless nonstick cooking spray. Press the wrap directly on the surface of the egg salad. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.