Hard-boiled egg with mayonnaise at the counter
A hard-boiled egg, cut in half, topped with hand-made mayonnaise. The humblest gesture of Parisian bistros, eaten between conversations.
A hard-boiled egg, cut in half, topped with hand-made mayonnaise. The humblest gesture of Parisian bistros, eaten between conversations.
Here, have one, don't be shy. At the zinc you don't sit down, you lean on your elbows — an egg, a glass, and the words come by themselves. Nusch used to laugh at me for salting before tasting, a bad habit of a hurried poet. The mayonnaise, we'd whisk it right there, in a bowl, by wrist strength, never stopping, or it would 'fall,' the owner said. Believe me, nothing is freer than a meal eaten standing.
- •Fresh eggs — a few (base)
- •Oil — a steady drizzle (body of the mayonnaise)
- •Dijon mustard — a spoonful (binder and flavor)
- •Vinegar — a dash (acidity)
- •Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Hard-boiled egg with mayonnaise at the counter
A hard-boiled egg, cut in half, topped with hand-made mayonnaise. The humblest gesture of Parisian bistros, eaten between conversations.
Why this dish? Like so many Montparnasse intellectuals, Éluard lived at the café as much as at his table. The hard-boiled egg set on the counter, grabbed standing with a glass of table wine, is the quintessential poet's snack: simple, cheap, always there.
Here, have one, don't be shy. At the zinc you don't sit down, you lean on your elbows — an egg, a glass, and the words come by themselves. Nusch used to laugh at me for salting before tasting, a bad habit of a hurried poet. The mayonnaise, we'd whisk it right there, in a bowl, by wrist strength, never stopping, or it would 'fall,' the owner said. Believe me, nothing is freer than a meal eaten standing.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh eggs — a few (base)
- Oil — a steady drizzle (body of the mayonnaise)
- Dijon mustard — a spoonful (binder and flavor)
- Vinegar — a dash (acidity)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Eggs — 4 (base)
- 1 extra egg yolk — 1 (make the mayonnaise)
- Neutral oil (sunflower or canola) — 20 cl (body of the mayonnaise)
- Mustard — 1 tsp (binder and flavor)
- Wine vinegar — 1 tsp (acidity)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Plunge the eggs into boiling water for 9 to 10 minutes, then cool and peel them.
- In a bowl, mix the raw egg yolk, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Pour the oil in a very thin stream while whisking continuously until the mayonnaise thickens.
- Add the vinegar, taste, adjust.
- Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half, generously coat with mayonnaise and serve immediately.
How it was made : In pre-war bistros, the egg mayonnaise often sat self-service on the counter, in a rotating metal stand. You paid per piece, with your glass, without sitting down.
The contemporary twist : A pinch of smoked paprika and a few snipped chives to wake up the plate — a nod to the surrealist taste for contrast.
Paul Éluard · Charactorium
