by Ansley Knoch, Purchasing Assistant
Spring is finally here! Even though I’ll miss the snow, I have to admit I love when the weather starts to warm up a bit and I start wanting to eat everything fresh and green! After all the cozy, warming, slow-cooked goodness of winter, it feels so invigorating to dig into a bowl of cold, crispy, greens, tossed in a light, herby dressing. And what better protein to pair with such fresh, light fare than hard-boiled eggs? They’re fast and easy and, if you have chickens in the backyard, starting to get quite plentiful this time of year.
I know that I often have more hard-boiled eggs than I know what to do with come April and there are really only so many ways to serve egg salad, so this month I’ve collected three delicious and delightfully varied ways to feature hard-boiled eggs (without any mayonnaise at all!).
SPRINGY SALAD WITH PICKLED BEET HARD-BOILED EGGS
The eggs for this have to be prepared the day before, but the deliciousness is so worth it!
Pickled Beet Hard-Boiled Eggs
6 hard-boiled peeled eggs
16 oz. jar of pickled sliced beets
1 small sweet onion, sliced
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
Salad
4 pickled beet hard-boiled eggs
1 head butter lettuce, washed and chopped
Microgreens, sprouts, and/or watercress
8 oz. smoked salmon, sliced
1 c. chopped pickled beets
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
Lemon Dill Dressing
1 bunch dill, chopped roughly
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Directions for the Pickled Eggs:
Drain the juice from the pickled beets into a pot. It should be about 1 cup. Mix in sugar, salt, and apple cider vinegar and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Mix peeled eggs, sliced drained beets, and onions in a bowl or jar and pour hot juice mixture on top. Seal in a jar or in a bowl with a lid. Keep in the refrigerator for at least a day.
Directions for Dressing:
Blend all dressing ingredients together in a blender or food processor until puréed. Season with salt to taste.
Directions for Salad:
Place lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with microgreens/ sprouts/ watercress. Top with smoked salmon, pickled beets, radish, cucumbers, and eggs. Drizzle with dressing and serve.
FAST WEEKNIGHT RAMEN
I know, I know, usually ramen calls for soft-boiled eggs, but this totally works too!
2 hard-boiled eggs
2 packs forbidden rice ramen noodles (or noodles of choice)
6 oz. shiitake mushrooms
Chives
Collard greens
1 Tbs. tamari
1 tsp. (or more if desired) chili sauce
1 1-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 mounded Tbs. red miso
4 c. chicken, beef, or broth of choice
Salt, to taste
Optional toppings: sliced cooked chicken or pork, thinly sliced carrots, bean sprouts
Directions: Heat a little olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the garlic and ginger, cooking for a minute or two, until softened. Add the broth and tamari, cover, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, chop the mushrooms and collard greens. Add the ramen and cook, following the instructions on the package. Remove from heat, add collards and mushrooms, and season with salt to taste. Once the collards are bright green and the mushrooms are softened, stir in the miso and chili sauce, then divide the noodles into two large bowls. Peel the hard-boiled eggs and slice in half. Top each bowl with 2 egg halves, chives, and any other desired toppings.
SCOTCH EGGS
These pack quite a protein punch! They’re great party food but make a great brunch side too.
8 large hard-boiled eggs
1 raw egg
16 oz. sausage of choice
Salt and pepper to taste
Panko bread crumbs
Directions: Heat the oven to 400ºF. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the sausage with salt and pepper. Separate the sausage mixture into eight equal portions. In a small bowl, beat the raw egg. Fill a second small bowl with panko bread crumbs. Remove the eggs from the refrigerator and peel them. Take one boiled egg and cover it completely with one of the sausage chunks. Dredge the sausage covered egg in the beaten raw egg, then roll it in the bread crumbs and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with all of the remaining eggs and sausage chunks, refilling the panko bread crumb bowl as needed.
Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are crispy and golden. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
