Egg Salad 101

Egg Salad
By The Covered Dish
Debbie Dance Uhrig

Brought to you by your neighborhood market
Harter House Supermarkets
and
Harter House World Flavors

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The Ultimate egg!   In this cooks opinion it doesn't get much better than eggs.  Homemade egg salad, deviled eggs, poached eggs, hard boiled, over easy any way you name it eggs provide us with some wonderful protein.  Experienced cooks will probably look at the column this week and say:  'What-who doesn't know how to make egg salad?'  Well gang there's a great deal of folks who have never made this scrumptious down-home delicacy. 

How do you eat egg salad?  Well, I've been digging around and asking folks, here are some suggestions on how to enjoy this dish:

1.  Between two pieces of white bread, lettuce added, maybe a thin slice of tomato.

2.  With Crackers or inside celery.
3.  In a canapé.
4.  Stuffed inside a large tomato as a full meal.
5.  Piped into small cherry tomatoes.

Is there anything specific that goes in egg salad?  Well, boiled eggs are a must, ha!

I always use a pickle of some sort.  Usually I don't use dill; I'll pull out sweet or bread and butter most frequently.  Pimento is a nice choice for color.  For added zip consider horseradish and different mustards, small green onions, celery, olives, and sweet peppers.  In the spice department I sometimes like to take egg salad down the curry road for a different twist.  Paprika, peppers, garlic powder and different salts can also add their own zing. 

How you approach your dressing is all based upon personal choice.  If I'm in a hurry I just chop the eggs and pickles and throw in mayonnaise and pickle juice and that's it!  If I want a more glamorous approach I will reserve 3 or 4 egg yolks and blend them into the dressing.  This gives a nice color and taste to the entire salad.  You will note that I did not use any sugar in the dressing.  Sometimes you'll find cooks added just a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to the dressing.  I was going to use a 'bit' of mustard in this recipe, but I enjoyed the taste without, so it was omitted.

Today when I chopped the eggs I chopped them using my egg slicer turning the eggs both ways.  This gave my salad a more uniform look versus a free hand chop. 

Isn't it funny how we can remember when and where we ate our best dishes.  I can remember driving to Colorado one summer and eating egg salad sandwiches all the way through the states of Kansas and Colorado!  I was convinced I was not going to spend money on fast food as I made my 13-14 hour journey to Steamboat Springs.  If you're on a budget egg salad is definitely a good choice for a family meal every other week or so.  Summer carry-in dinners would be complemented with a large dish of this salad.  You'll be surprised how fast it is consumed!

One of my biggest tips is directed towards the boiling of the eggs.  Your salad will look and taste better if you don't overcook the eggs.  My usual process is as follows:  Place eggs in cold water with 1-2 teaspoons of salt bringing eggs to a hard boil for ten minutes.  Remove from heat, drain off water and replace with cold water.  Shake the eggs around a bit cracking the shells.  Allow to cool in the cold water.  The water will find its way under the shell easing the removal later.  *Overcooked eggs turn green around the outer edges.  The longer they're overcooked the greener they will get.  Regarding the salt in the boiling water:  Many feel the salt added to the water helps the shell comes off easier.

Another method for boiling eggs is to bring the eggs to a hard boil, put a lid over the pot and then turn off the heat.  Leave eggs for about 20 minutes, and then cool.  I have never preferred this method.

Let's get to the recipe, it's easy, very tasty and oh so comforting.  Simply Yours, The Covered Dish.

Egg Salad 101

14 hard boiled eggs
   (Reserve 3 yolks for the dressing.)
1/2 cup finely chopped bread and butter pickles
1 tablespoon 'finely' chopped sweet onion
 

Dressing

3 reserved egg yolks1 cup mayonnaise1/8 cup pickle juice1/2 teaspoon Black Kettle Seasoning, (Substitute with a nice all-purpose seasoning salt.)1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper 

Yields:  5 cups of salad

Hard boil the eggs, cooling in cold water.  For uniformity chop the eggs using an egg slicer.

Reserve 3 yolks for the dressing.  Chop the eggs, pickles and onion and combine in a bowl.  Using a fork crumble the 3 egg yolks then add the remaining dressing ingredients.  Make the mixture extremely smooth.  Consider using a submersible hand blender to make it very creamy.  Gently stir the dressing into the eggs, pickles and onions.  Place in a container with a tight fitting lid.  Yum...

*If you don't want an abundance of egg salad certainly cut the recipe in half. 

Hot Roast Beef Po Boy Sandwich

Have a hankering for a Po Boy?

The ingredients that go into a po-boy are virtually limitless, depending on one’s imagination: hot roast beef with gravy, ham and cheese (known in New Orleans as a “combination”), fried seafood (oysters, shrimp, soft-shell crabs, catfish), hot sausage, meatballs–even a French Fry po-boy can be had at most corner grocery store deli’s around the city of New Orleans. In addition, the counter sandwich maker typically will ask you… “And do you want that dressed?” When the New Orleans po-boy is “dressed”, the reference has nothing to do with fashion: “dressed” in New Orleans means that lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise are added, and pickles too on some!

If you enjoy a hearty roast beef sandwich, you'll certainly enjoy this Po Boy recipe.
It's a simple recipe for your at home dining pleasure.

This recipe can actually be done in 30 minutes or less.
What follows is a southern Po Boy recipe shared by RJ Jaramillo.
Yield: Feeds a family of 4

Shopping List / Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. of thinly sliced Harter House Roast Beef (Estimate ½ pound per serving)
  Tri-Tip, Brisket, Tenderloin, or even Deli Roast Beef, etc.
• 1 Large, French Bread Roll, (Cut and Quarter)
• 1 Can of French Onion Soup
• 1 Pkg. of Au Jus Gravy Mix
• 1 Can of Whole Green Chilies
• 12 oz. Jar of Peperoncini (Chopped Fine)
• 1- Medium Tomato (Chopped Fine)

Optional Items: Cheese, Tabasco Sauce, Shredded Lettuce

Equipment: 2-Quart Pot, Cookie Sheet, Oven Pre-Heated to 300 Degrees F

How to Make a Po Boy Cooking Steps
Step 1: Make Gravy Mix
Open your can of french onion soup and pour it into your 2-quart pot. Add 1 can of water. Open package of the au jus gravy and mix with the soup and stir gently on stove with a low-medium setting. You want to have a thick sauce, so if you feel that you put too much water in your sauce mix just add a teaspoon of flour while stirring the mix over the stove (this should thicken the sauce). Keep sauce warm and start to pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees F.

Step 2: Preparing Your French Bread, the Key to a Delicious Po Boy
The bread means everything to this recipe. Make sure you get a large French bread roll baked fresh at our Harter House Bakery and cut it into four pieces. If you are feeding a family of four, you only need one loaf of French bread.
The next step after cutting your bread is to take the gravy mix off the stove and begin the “dipping” process. To do this, take your slices of bread and place them on a cookie sheet so they are laid out flat. Then, take your meat (the roast beef) and dip into the sauce, placing the meat on top of the sliced French bread after its been soaked in the gravy. Make sure you dunk your meat thoroughly through the gravy before placing on top of the bread.

Step 3: Heating and Topping the Po Boy
At this point, you can add a green chili on top of the beef and place all of the sandwiches that are top of the cookie sheet into the oven for 12- 15 minutes.

Other Topping Options for Your Po Boy
I like a little crunch with my Po Boy Sandwich, so I take a medium tomato and chop it fine into a bowl. Next, I take four to five Peproncini’s (pronounced, pepper-chini) and chop them fine and add to the bowl of tomato. You can alter this recipe by using regular pickles instead of the peperoncini and you will have the same crunchy, sour effect that this topping makes. You can also add cheese to the topping of the sandwiches to add a cheesy flavor to your Po Boy.

ENJOY!

Enjoy a glass of Volante Wine

A personal endorsement.....

If you like bold and you are looking for something special, give this wine a try.

At Harter House World Flavors, our Beverage Manager, Roxann, brought in a case of Volante Wine this week. She and I both enjoy the bold red wines, so I knew when she told me she liked it, that I would too.

I was very impressed. The bottle says, “This Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is smooth- textured and rich with excellent structure and balance. It features harmonious aromas of spicy currant, black fruit, cedary oak and smoke. The elegant palate shows flavors of black cherry, bramble and cedar that segue nicely into a long focused finish with a good mix of oak complexities and supple tannins.” 13.9% by volume


I thought it was lovely. I definitely taste the toasty oak and black fruit flavors.



They only produced 510 cases of this 2005 vintage. Their website also says, “This wine is very approachable now and will cellar well.”
So now it’s a seven year old bottle.
In our higher priced wine cabinet we have two more Cabernet Sauvignon wines, both from Napa Valley as well. One is Sterling Vineyard Reserve, 2005, for $48.00. The other is a Beringer Private Reserve, 2004, for 90.00. This bottle of Volante is $18.99 and I’m wondering how comparable these 3 wines are.  Yah, it's that good!

I would definitely pair this wine with a thick cut Harter House steak. (which of course I did)

ENJOY!

Shelly
Harter House World Flavors
1500 E. Republic Road
Springfield, MO  65804

Asian Style Baby Back Ribs

It really doesn't get any easier than this crock pot recipe.

For a delicious weeknight dinner, just put it in the crock pot and let it cook slow.

Ribs go on Sale Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at all 6 Harter House Locations.

Baby Back Pork Ribs, My favorite, $3.99 lb

Small Pork Spare Ribs - $2.49 lb.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 rack pork ribs (about 3 pounds) cut into sections of 3 to 4 ribs
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions

1. In a small bowl, blend sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger, garlic and red pepper.
2. Place ribs in slow cooker bowl; add sauce. Cover; cook on HIGH for 6 hours or until meat is tender.
3. Transfer ribs to a platter. Strain sauce and discard excess fat. Combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; blend with sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until thickened. Top ribs with 1/2 cup of sauce, scallions and sesame seeds; serve with remaining sauce.

Barbecue for Vegetarians?

Barbecue is synonymous with meat.  Think Barbecue and you think pork butt or shoulder, beef brisket, ribs, and even chicken.  It’s a universal favorite even in its different incarnations across the country.  So what’s a vegetarian to do if he or she wants to partake in that taste sensation?  Is it even possible?  Absolutely!

     With a little creativity and ingenuity, even the most die-hard vegetarians can find a way to indulge in a fantastic barbecue, whether by duplicating the taste or just enjoying the barbecue experience.  Here are a few ideas for vegetarian foods suited for grilling;

·         Corn on the cob is awesome prepared on the grill.  It can even be brushed with barbecue sauce for that classic flavor in a unique preparation.  Eggplant is also perfect for grilling.  Brushed with olive oil, it will cook up with fantastic-looking grill marks.  It’s suited to a wide variety of grilling methods and flavors, too

·         If you’d like something a little more “meaty,” then Portobello mushrooms are the answer.  They make a great vegetarian barbecue option.  They can be grilled up like a burger, slathered in a sweet barbecue sauce or marinated like a steak.  The meaty flavor of a Portobello is perfect for duplicating barbecued meat methods.

·         Tofu is another option perfect for the vegetarian barbecue.  Because of its texture and ability to take on the flavors of sauces or marinades, it’s definitely suited to a slathering of barbecue sauce.

No matter the season, any time is the right time for a little barbecue bliss!  Let Harter HouseSupermarkets provide you with the freshest ingredients available for your next barbecue.

Grilled Vegetable Salad
Arrange grilled summer vegetables, such as zucchini, peppers, onions and eggplant, on a large platter and serve them at your next backyard get-together.

Vinaigrette

5 tablespoons butter melted

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic

1/4 cup red wine or sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground or coarse ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped pitted kalamata olives

 

Vegetables

2 medium zucchini, halved lenghwise

1 large red bell pepper, quartered

1 large yellow bell pepper, quartered

1 large red onion, cut into 6 slices

1 small eggplant, cut into 6 (1/2-inch thick) slices

Directions

Combine butter with olive oil, rosemary and garlic in medium bowl; reserve 1/4 cup. Add vinegar, mustard, pepper, salt and olives to remaining butter mixture; mix well. Set aside.

Heat gas grill on medium or charcoal grill until coals are ash white. Place vegetables onto grill, cut-side down.

Grill, turning and brushing occasionally with reserved butter mixture, until vegetables are tender and browned (13 to 15 minutes).

To serve, arrange vegetables on serving platter; drizzle with vinaigrette.

 

 

Caprese Salad

 

Tonight I picked the first tomatoes from my patio tomato plant.  I had to have a Caprese salad.

We're also having a Porterhouse Steak from Harter House and baked potatoes with fresh chives and sour cream.  And of course a bottle of wine!  My wine tonight is Dreaming Tree Crush.  This is a red wine from the northern coast of California. We sampled it a few weeks ago at Harter House World Flavors and I really liked it.  It is a collaboration with musician, Dave Matthews and acclaimed winemaker Steve Reeder. 

This wine has notes of smoky berry and a pop of raspberry jam. 

Around the dinner table or out on the patio, it's a wine you're going to want to share with your favorite people.


Caprese Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Coarse salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons drained capers (optional)
1/4 cup extra-virgin Olive Oil


Preparation:
In a circular design around the side of a serving plate, alternate fresh mozzarella slices on a large platter (or on individual plates if you are doing individual portions) with sliced tomatoes, overlapping for effect.
Tear fresh basil leaves and sprinkle liberally over the slices. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Sprinkle capers over the top.
Just before serving, drizzle on some top-quality extra-virgin olive oil.

 NOTE: Insalata Caprese should never be allowed to sit in oil for any length of time and become soggy, and no vinegar of any kind goes on true Insalata Caprese!
Makes 4 servings.

Basil-Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast

This week (May 9 to 15, 2012)  Harter House Supermarket has Fresh, Never Frozen Boneless Chicken Breast on Sale for $1.99 lb.  I'm always looking for new ideas for Tasty Chicken Recipes.  This recipe, I am very excited about.  Be sure to add it to your family's menu for this coming week!!!

Find everything you need at Harter House and Harter House World Flavors!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ pound basil pesto
• ½ pound ricotta
• 1 cup panko
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• Sea salt and cracked pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

 Preparation

To Prepare:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine flour and seasonings.
Separately mix pesto, ricotta, panko and lemon juice; set aside.
Lay one breast on a clean cutting board.
Use a paring knife inserting it gently into the thickest tip of the breast.
Make a horizontal incision in the breast, be careful to not cut through to the sides.
Use your fingers to deepen the cavity made by the incision.
Repeat process with remaining breasts.
Fill a pastry or Ziploc-style bag with basil-ricotta mixture.
Trim tip of bag then insert it into the the cut side of the chicken breasts squeezing in an even amount of filling into each.
Dredge stuffed breasts in flour mixture, evenly coating each side.
Heat olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium.
Lay each breast top side down in the oil, brown for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Gently turn chicken over then place skillet on middle rack of oven and bake an additional 20 minutes.
Serve with your favorite rice, rice pilaf, pasta, or roasted squash.