Caviar is often garnished with hard-boiled eggs, so why not the reverse? To enhance the taste of the eggs, cook them until the yolks are still a bit soft so they can serve as the basis for the sauce. (This obviates the need for mayo, which would mask the eggs’ flavor.) As this dish is all about the egg, use fresh farm eggs if possible. And if you wish to keep the price down, inexpensive salmon roe will substitute well for the caviar—and it looks beautiful, too.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 open-faced sandwiches

　　4 extra-large eggs, preferably pasture-raised

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped celery

　　1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 teaspoons chopped chives, plus additional for garnish

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

　　Freshly ground white pepper

　　1/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar

　　1 teaspoon finely chopped chervil, plus additional for garnish

　　1 teaspoon finely chopped dill, plus additional for garnish

　　4 slices brioche, 1/4 inch thick, 3 inches square

　　2 teaspoons crème fraîche

　　4 teaspoons caviar or salmon roe

　　

Step 1

Carefully lower the eggs into a saucepan of boiling water. Reduce the heat to an even boil and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath. When the eggs have cooled completely, peel, add to a medium bowl, and roughly chop with a fork. Add the celery, onion, oil, chives, salt, pepper, vinegar, chervil, and dill and mix well.

　　

Step 2

Evenly distribute the egg salad on the slices of brioche. For neat and clean edges, cut off the crusts and cut each slice in half, straight across. Top each slice with the crème fraîche and the caviar. Garnish with the reserved chives, chervil, and dill, and serve.

　　'wichcraft