Spring Egg & Scallion Paté
One of my all-time favorite egg dishes is this recipe from Onions, Onions, Onions, a wonderful and informative cookbook written by my good friends, Linda and Fred Griffith.
I first encountered this dish as an appetizer before one of Fred and Linda's spring dinner parties a few years ago and I was smitten. It may, in fact, have been the moment I decided that I actually liked egg salad, which is basically what it is, but better.
I first encountered this dish as an appetizer before one of Fred and Linda's spring dinner parties a few years ago and I was smitten. It may, in fact, have been the moment I decided that I actually liked egg salad, which is basically what it is, but better.
Don't tell Linda, but I don't always follow the recipe exactly -- surprise, surprise. I didn't have olives on hand for the last batch but it turned out just as delicious without them. Ditto for the jalapeños. You can also take some liberties with herbs and the type of curry. I've used curry powder, I've used a Vindaloo blend, and I've used Thai curry paste which spices things up and makes the dish a little more colorful.
I made this again for our spring cheese tasting at Four and Twenty Mercantile last week and was asked by several guests to share the recipe. So, here it is. If you're in charge of the Easter appetizer this weekend or you just want to make a really superb egg salad to spread on your toast or a sandwich, this is your dish.
Egg & Scallion Paté
6 scallions, trimmed to include 1 inch of green
6 jalapeño-stuffed jumbo Spanish olives
1 pickled jalapeño pepper
1 tablespoon tarragon leaves
8 large eggs, hard-cooked and peeled
1/2 cup homemade or prepared mayonnaise
1 generous teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/4 tesapoon kosher salt
Leaf lettuce, olive slices and fresh parsley and/or tarragon for garnish
Thinly sliced pumpernickel or rye bread, cut into triangles or your favorite crackers for serving
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine scallions, olives, parsley and tarragon. Process until mixture is finely minced, scraping down the sides several times.
Press eggs through a ricer into a mixing blow, or finely chop. Add scallion mixture, mayonnaise, curry powder, pepper and salt and blend well. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Pack into a pretty serving dish or oiled mold, cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Line a serving platter with lettuce leaves, invert the paté dish over the platter, rap the bottom sharply with a wooden spoon and remove the dish. Garnish paté with olives and herbs and serve with bread and/or crackers.