Foodie Fridays: Egg and Pea Salad

Last week I found a quick and simple recipe for Sweet Pea Salad which sounded intriguing.  As I was making the salad, it occurred to me that this was just egg salad with peas, so I decided to use it as a sandwich filling.  I modified the recipe, substituting a shallot for the onion and adding some sunflower seeds among other changes.  After chilling the salad, I sliced a multigrain loaf into slices on the diagonal, spread the slices with a little butter, and toasted them.  I then topped the warm slices with the cold Egg and Pea Salad.  The resulting open-faced sandwiches were delicious!  Serve them with a small bowl of soup or a side salad for a light but satisfying meal.

By the way, if you need a quick lesson in making perfect hard-boiled eggs, check out the post on the Serious Eats website here.  Basically, to ensure your eggs peel easily, place them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then reduce the heat to simmer.  Simmer the eggs for about 11-12 minutes and then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking immediately.  It is important to let the eggs cool completely, and if you have the time refrigerate them overnight for best peeling results.  I used this method, including the overnight refrigeration, and my eggs were perfect!

Egg and Pea Salad

3 hard-boiled eggs
1 can (15 oz.) petit pois (small peas), drained
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
cayenne pepper and salt to taste
1 tsp. sugar
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. toasted sunflower seeds

Peel the eggs. Slice them in half, removing the yolks.  Dice the egg whites and combine with the petit pois in a large bowl.  Mash the yolks in a small bowl with the seasonings and sugar.  Stir in the mayonnaise and shallots until well combined.  Add to the first mixture and combine well.  Stir in the sunflower seeds.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.  Serves 4.

Note: I almost never buy canned peas, but for some unfathomable reason I had a can of Le Seuer Very Young Sweet Peas with Mushroom & Pearl Onions, so I used that.  The next time I make this salad I will try using about 2 cups of thawed frozen peas instead of the canned variety for added crunch and a brighter color.  Also, the original recipe calls for Creole seasoning, which I did not have, so I substituted paprika and garlic powder, as they are the main ingredients of this blend (excluding salt, which I did not use as the canned peas have salt).  Next time I will use my favorite smoked paprika for even more flavor.