I
have been going through a funny roller coaster ride of emotions, giddy highs
and miserable lows. There are days when I can hardly wait to get out of bed to
tackle the next chore on my list. Then there are days when I just want to pull
the covers over my head and stay in bed all day – handling a 5 month-old baby
is not easy! Of course each moment with little Michelle is exciting but it can
sometimes tire you out totally!
This
little blog space has become my island, where I can come and be creative and
share my thoughts regardless of what my mood is and whichever part of the world
I am! For this I am happy because I can take you where ever I
go! I know that I haven't been a regular blogger these past few months and it
may be that way for sometime because managing a baby and home can sometimes get
difficult. But I try to share my enthusiasm with new recipes whenever I can
steal some time and update you on the latest.
The recipe today is a
gorgeous Egg Salad Canapé.
Eggs -
Comforting, happy, leisurely, fresh, satiating, rich, whimsical, enveloping,
warm.... versatile. That's what I think of and feel when I eat them. What do
they remind you of? This is a recipe where the quality of products play a
large role so try and get your hands on the yummiest mayonnaise, best herbs and
the most fresh bread you can find. You won't be sorry.
Picnics and salads
are a great combination. I'm sure all of us have a passion for being
outdoors and enjoying our meals in some scenic spot. And what better time to do
this but Summers; with kids vacations going on, lovely fun picnics are always
on the agenda. How many of you are planning little picnics with family and
friends? Isn't it fun to dream of huge theme parties and picnics just as soon
as the first warm sunrays strike. I just love spending time with a family and
friends, laughing and chatting, the aromas of delicious goodies filling the
air. The gentle summer breeze brings the scent of perfumed flowers and the
sounds of other people giggling and laughing as they too enjoy their parties
and fun trips.
Most people don't
waste too much time preparing food for picnics, they simply make a few
sandwiches and cut up some vegetables and fruit, take a few bottles of fresh or
fizzy drinks and ta-da, your picnic basket is ready. But I believe in just the
opposite; picnics if planned with a little care can be both exciting and
healthy. Usually for most picnics the spotlight is mostly on the location
rather than the food; but it need not always be that way. A picnic with freshly
prepared home-made goodies like grilled delicacies, refreshing salads and
piquant sauces is so much more fun and appealing than eating all that junk. The
food always has to be plentiful because, I do not know about you, but I always
tend to overeat at picnics; everything always tastes better. But
when the food is home-made and healthy, why worry if you eat a little
extra! I love playing around with flavors for salads, sauces and salsas.
Here I took an old salad favorite and gave it a slight twist. Egg Salad – I
used very little mayonnaise, a little dijon-style mustard and lots of herbs,
making it lighter and slightly tangier in flavor. What makes this salad
exquisite is the use of sharp but sweet red onions and the mild heat from the
paprika brings about a flavor explosion. The salad works really well as
little canapés arranged on tiny pieces of firm bread or crisp lettuce
leaves. It can also be spread on a bread of your choice making yummy
sandwiches. Whichever way, they taste great and are quick to prepare and make an
excellent picnic snack. I have presented them as bite-size canapés
today. Simple, easy, home-made....Do try them out.
Ingredients
3 Eggs
3/4 tbsp Mayonnaise
Boiled & Cooled
Water - 1 or 2 tsp (refer notes)
1/2 to 3/4 tsp
Dijon-style Mustard (refer notes)
2 to 3 tsp of fresh
herb (you can always add more if you like the flavor; refer
notes)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Paprika
(adjust as per spice tolerance)
1/2 of a medium size
Big Onion; finely chopped
Method
Place eggs in a
saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from
heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot
water, cool, peel and chop. Keep aside.
In a large bowl, mix
the mayonnaise, water, mustard, herbs, paprika and chopped onions. This is the
dressing.
Into this add the
chopped egg and combine well by mashing with a fork or wooden spoon.
Notes:
1. I like my dressing
a little runny (of course not too much), so I always add a little water to give
it the right texture. That way we don't have to add too much mayo into the
dish.
2. In case you do not
have Dijon-style mustard in your pantry, you can always use any other good
quality mustard.
