spring egg salad

This salad uses peas, eggs and tons of herbs. It is fresh and vibrant- a step away from the average mayonnaise-laden egg salad (notice I didn't say "a step up"- that version can be good as well).

Cilantro, parsley, dill, chives, savory---use any fresh herbs you have on hand and use lots of them. I like to use fresh herbs with abundance, more like a main ingredient rather than something carefully measured. It helps to grow your own so that you have an abundant supply always on hand. Herbs are filled with vitamins and minerals, and most aid digestion, which helps more of the nutrients in food actually get absorbed.

Fresh meyer lemon peel is a staple ingredient in my kitchen. It enhances digestion as well as immune function because it is filled with vitamin C and anti-oxidants. From a Chinese medicine standpoint it acts as a blood-mover- basically it gets things circulating- which helps detoxification and cardiovascular health. But most importantly it lends a wonderfully bright flavor. Meyer lemons, as opposed to other varieties of lemon- such as the more common, Eureka lemon, are much more complex in flavor and less intensely sour. Additionally, they are usually more juicy; always look for the really squeezable ones.

Recipe:

4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 cup peas- fresh shelled or frozen and thawed

large handful of herbs- parsley, mint, cilantro, dill etc.

3 scallions, chopped

3 tablespoons capers, chopped or whole

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely minced meyer lemon peel

salt and lots of pepper

Combine all ingredients and stir gently.

A note on eggs...

I try to use the best quality eggs I can find- the freshest and most free-range. The best measure of an egg's quality is the depth of color of the yolk. Pale yolks mean little nutritional value- and to me, they just look and taste less alive.

Farm eggs (not store bought) can be kept at room temperature- in fact they last longer and stay fresher this way. As long as an egg has never been washed or refrigerated- there is a protective coating on the shell that keeps it stable at room temperature for several months.

The trick for a perfectly hard-boiled egg is to not over-cook it. When over-cooked, yolks turn chalky and develop a blue coating.

The technique for perfectly hard-cooked eggs is to place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by at least an inch. Bring the water just to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately turn off the heat. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water.

To peel, lightly tap the entire egg to crack the entire shell. Then under cold, running water remove the shell.