avocado egg salad

Last week I took a very alternative approach to egg salad with the Chickpea & Tofu Salad recipe.  It was good, and for vegans I confirm that tofu can definitely substitute for the texture of egg (and ricotta for lighter Italian dishes).  But, it is a substitute, nonetheless.  I don't eat eggs very often because I'm prone to high cholesterol.  This is a real shame because I absolutely love runny egg yolk.  One of my favorite childhood meals was when mom made "dip in toast" (or maybe, "dippin' toast," or just "dippintoast') which was a soft boiled egg perched in a little stand with the top knocked off so we could dip strips of toast in the yolk.  I also love runny eggs on sandwiches, burgers, and well...anything.  In fact, many friends can attest to my entrepreneurial dream to stabilize and bottle runny egg yolk to be sold as a squeezable condiment.  Liquid gold.  

Well, there's absolutely no runny egg yolk in this recipe so let's get back to business.  This recipe is yet another alternative to a traditional egg salad made with mayo and celery.  Instead, it uses avocado, fennel, radish, and chives.  It is creamy and rich, but the fennel and radish offer a slightly bitter, crunchy contrast.  I was really pleased with the flavor and the color combinations make for a great presentation.  If you do prefer a smoother/creamier salad, you can definitely add a touch of mayo or Greek yogurt for that traditional texture.  Just be careful, because this recipe is a little addicting.

Ingredients (makes about 4 servings):

• 4 eggs, hard boiled
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup fennel bulb, julienned into 1/2 inch matchsticks
• 1/4 cup radish, finely diced
• 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• a heaping tablespoon of mayo or greek yogurt if you want a smoother texture

Boil your eggs for 8 minutes until hard boiled, then cool under cold water and set in the fridge to cool completely.

Chop your fennel, radish, chives, and avocado.  

Once your eggs are cool, peel off the shell and roughly chop them.  Mix in a bowl with fennel, radish, chives, and avocado.  Add the lemon juice (an mayo/yogurt if you want).  Season with salt and pepper to your liking.