Easy Eggy Caesar Egg Salad
It’s still Summer. Though we’ve only had a few days of really hot weather and many a muggy/rainy day--hello, second wettest NYC summer on record--I’m still resisting the urge to turn on my oven. So, one of my favorite things to eat during the summer is salad. I’d be content to eat salad everyday! What better place to exercise culinary creativity with immediate results. And it’s a great way to empty the fridge of leftovers.
For today though, here’s my recipe for Easy Eggy Caesar Egg Salad. This recipe was inspired by Bon Appetit and Ideas in Food as interviewed on Food52. Please consider this recipe as just a guideline.
Easy Eggy Caesar Egg Salad (low carb, gluten and dairy free)
Meal Servings: 2-3
Prep time: 15m
Cook time: 5m
Eating time: At your leisure with no distractions. Enjoy!
It’s not pretty but it’s yummy.
Equipment
10” cast iron pan
Pan lid
Cutting board
Knife
Bowl or Cup to mix dressing in
Whisk
Measuring spoons and cups
Or a really good eye
Salad bowl
Salad fixings
¼ C of chayote or jicama or celery*
1 Large head or 2-3 hearts of romaine lettuce
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
Egg portion
¼ cup of cooking fat/oil
One small onion sliced or diced
¼ C diced or 2 oz of sliced pancetta
6 large eggs
Large pinch of salt
Dressing
¼ C of extra virgin olive oil
3 T of Sir Kensington Mayo
1 T of Dijon mustard
2 T of lemon juice
A dash of turmeric (optional. I add it for its anti inflammatory properties)
~½ t of anchovy paste or 2 mashed anchovy fillets
½ -1 t of capers
1 t of garlic powder
Salt to taste
1 T of nutritional yeast (optional. Skip if you can have Parmesan)
Wash and chop romaine in desired fashion. I cut it once the long way then rotate it a quarter and cut the long way again before slicing from top to bottom in about 2” segments. Or if that’s too fussy I tear it apart with my hands. Set aside.
Dice chayote or jicama or celery (CJC). Set aside.
Chop onion. Set aside.
Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk together.
Set cast iron over medium heat.
Crack all the eggs into a bowl leaving yolks intact.
Add fat/oil to the pan. Once heated add chopped onions and toss to coat with oil. Then add pancetta. Stir occasionally.
When the onion becomes translucent, pour eggs gently into the pan, distributing evenly. Add a sprinkle of salt.
Cover. Check for doneness after a few minutes. Doneness based on desired yolk consistency. I like my yolks still jiggling and runny so it really is only a few minutes.
Pour the contents of pan into the large salad bowl with the romaine. Cut contents up with kitchen scissors. Or if you don’t have kitchen scissors, hack at it with a spatula. Personally, kitchen scissors are now a must-have for this one dish.
Add CJC and pour dressing over salad. Toss to combine. Sprinkle it with salt and fresh cracked pepper as desired.
*The reason for the options of chayote, jicama and celery is they all offer a different accent to the dish.
Chayote is neutral in flavor and takes on whatever it’s paired with. Jicama has a touch of sweetness which can be a nice offset to the umami in the dressing. While celery can be a little bitter, it balances nicely with the dressing. I use these vegetables to give the salad a crunchy and low carb alternative to croutons. They also maintain their crunchiness if by some crazy chance there are leftovers.
Happy End of Summer Eating!
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