If the mercury is soaring in your neck of the woods (it’s 94F but feels like 102F where we are at), the last thing you want to do is cook something in the kitchen. Here’s an easy, non-meat lunch that took just minutes to prepare (assuming you have some store-bought or home-made gravlax on hand)… First, get some good bread, here some soft baguettes or rolls from Eric Kayser.
Make some egg salad (oops, you have to turn the stove on for a few minutes to boil the eggs) by chopping up some boiled and cooled eggs (boil the night before while cooking dinner and stick them in the fridge for use the following day if you are the type that can plan ahead) and add some mayonnaise, mustard, chopped fresh dill and a few drops of lemon juice. If you want this healthier, use some thick yogurt instead of mayonnaise, but it won’t be quite rich enough… Slice some gravlax and make a honey mustard sauce to spread on the bread. Assemble two sandwiches.
Enjoy with an ice cold beverage and think thoughts of a snow-bound winter day to help lower your body temperature. While I am at this, I think air-conditioning is one of the BEST inventions of the 20th? century. I think I would happily give up my cell phone and/or perhaps even my laptop rather than give up air-conditioning, particularly in this part of the world.
9 Responses
I agree, MM. Airconditioning!!!! Please, Lord, no brown outs!
Yes, the heat and the passion play enacted in my town are the two things that come to mind when I think of Good Friday. Definitely worse for the enactors since the one playing the main role wore a shoulder length wig and samite tunic. The colateral players were not much better off. The Roman soldiers wore papier mâché cuirasses and helmets left behind by the US Army decorated with abaca mohawk along the top to simulate Centurions’ headgear and they were shod with beach walk which are now called by their Brazilian brand name, havaianas. They painted their legs directly with black crisscross to look like Roman caligas from afar and they kicked the fallen Christ with these while Magdalene and Veronica frantically ventilated the son of God with local palm leaf fans.
Oh MM, I was trying to be good, but my kryptonite is egg salad ! I have to make this now. Totally agree with you on airconditioning. We’re at the beach too and the aircon is on full power.
Egg salad + some chopped cucumber+minced (or finely chopped sweet onions or sibuyas tagalog) gives this a good crunch. A staple in my fridge.
Ive been feásting on egg salad sandwich. I use Japanese mayo since it’s light. Fortunately too, I have lots of arugula in my greenhouse. Great with iced tea!
Yes marketman, it is just too hot in the Philippines.. and it made me think, maybe the next time we hear someone ask, why do you want to work overseas? the reply might not be for greener pastures… but instead, for colder pastures!
Yum. Try cold brewing your iced tea too. I just soak about 6 tea bags in a half pitcher of water, dangle the tabs and cover with lid to hold in place, stick in the fridge overnight. It tastes a lot fresher than hot brewed iced tea. Next day, add sugar and lemon if you like, or just drink as is with lots of ice.
Hi MM
Pardon the questions but am not really good in the kitchen.
How much mustard does one put in the egg salad? How does one make the honey mustard sauce?
Gigi, I put about a teaspoon for about 6 eggs worth of salad. You can always add less, taste and adjust to your liking by adding more mustard or more mayonnaise. Trust your palate to get you going… As for the honey mustard sauce, just mix some honey and mustard (I like roughly equal parts honey and mustard, though others like it sweeter) and a bit of mayonnaise to loosen it all up. For brightness, a bit of fresh lemon juice thins the sauce and wakes up the flavor. Some cracked black pepper is nice too.