Aioli Egg Salad

luckily working in a bakery I get bread on tap, as well as having chickens in the garden I always have eggs on hand. with that, a bit of oil and a minute or two of wisking I have aioli( too. (or homemade mayo). egg salad or 'egg mayonaise' is one of my comfort foods, especially when served in a toasted croissant.

I've been relying on it for sustenance after getting home from work. something crunchy and warm (toast) and something cold and creamy (egg salad), no complaints here! I've had a glut of eggs lately which is good because the garden has yet to reach that glut stage.

the day I made this dish was a glorious sunny evening, made even more sunny by my bright yellow chopping board! sorry if its a bit garish!

there has been immense growth in the garden this week: the peas and beans are shooting way up their supports and the salad bed is ready for new plants. my spud plants are over three feet tall, I caged them in this year thankfully, or they would have taken over again! see garden layout 2013. i'm just now getting baby chard and kale leaves too. perfect for a ceasar salad!(click for recipe)

it really is worth the nit of effort to make your own mayonnaise, you can control what oils are used and the salt levels, and be satisfied with good quality eggs. the flavour is unbeatable. I realise the plate is a bit bare - it could use a side salad perhaps? but that was all i needed, especially so since I enjoyed it in the garden with a nice beer.

true to form this post has two recipes not one, if this is too much work for you by all means use store bought mayo, or try a bit of crème fraiche? the herbs are as always optional and use whatever you feel inspired by in the garden. dill is especially good and something this egg mayonnaise was missing!
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Aioli Egg Salad

enough for 4 slices of bread

6 eggs - gently dropped into boiling water and cooked for 10 mintues, then cooled.

for the aioli

1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
a pinch of salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, finely chopped - I used a mix of, lemon thyme, fennel fronds, basil and chives
250mls sunflower oil
4-8 tablespoons olive oil
finely chopped chillis, optional

• peel the cooled boiled eggs and quarter them into a mixing bowl

for the aioli:

• place the yolk, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl
• slowly slowly wisk in -a teaspoon at a time- the sunflower oil
• once all the oil has been emulsified in, wisk in 4 tablespoon of olive oil
• taste for seasoning, add: salt, pepper or more olive oil

to assemble:

• lightly toast some bread
• wisk together aioli, eggs, herbs and chillis together until the eggs are a nice irregular size
• top the bread with the egg salad
• drizzle with olive oil and serve with chilli slices and edible flowers