Pity the maligned iceberg lettuce. Especially at this time of year when everyone is celebrating the piquant and flavorful local greens at the market. But no other lettuce will do for a classic egg salad sandwich in my book. And since I’m out on a limb, I confess I prefer the dressing a combination of yellow ball-park mustard mixed with Hellman’s full-fat mayonnaise.
I’ve been around the block with egg salad variations. When seasoned with curry and combined with chopped spinach, egg salad is delicious and makes an attractive plate served in a freshly hollowed tomato shell. A terrific Sunday brunch is egg salad mixed with smoked salmon and chives- especially good when served on Zingerman’s pumpernickle bread. I’ve used arugula for the greens and added chopped olives and red onion to egg salad. Not bad.
But my favorite egg salad sandwich is just like my mom made it. And it’s not the same without the crisp and crunch of iceberg lettuce- no other green can even come close. The only thing that would take this sandwich from delicious to sublime would be the addition of a couple of slices of bacon-left whole or crumbled into the salad.
