Southwestern Fried Egg Salad
I love eggs, especially the eggs with the bright orange yolks that I get from my farmer every week. (Thanks to the proliferation of farmer’s markets and community-supported farms, even urban dwellers can get honest-to-goodness eggs laid by hens who spend their days scratching in the dirt for tasty bugs…as opposed to eggs from factory-fed hens who eke out a miserable existence based on corn and soy. Check sites like www.localharvest.org to find nearby markets and farmers.) But although I’m a big fan of quality eggs — talk about the ultimate sustainable and nutritious food! — I’m decidedly not a fan of traditional egg salads, which seem to be more about mayonnaise than eggs. Why mask the flavor of a wonderful egg?
Recently, though, I decided to make a completely modern version of egg “salad” by lightly frying a scrambled egg (thus making a thin pancake of sorts), cutting it into pieces, and tossing the egg with some veggies. This quick and easy egg salad was much more flavorful and satisfying than the sopping-with-mayo variety, plus of course you could use this idea with whatever veggies strike your fancy.
Southwestern Fried Egg Salad
One egg serves one person, so simply multiply amounts as needed.
1-2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 egg, lightly scrambled with a fork
1/4 cup canned black beans, drained
1 tomatillo, papery husk removed, flesh chopped
1 Roma tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped
Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat (I use mark 3 out of 10) for about a minute, then add egg, swirling the egg so that it coats the pan. Note that a larger pan will require more oil and will result in a thinner eggy “pancake”; a smaller pan will require less oil but a bit more time to cook, plus the egg will be thicker. Use whichever pan you prefer.
Let egg cook for 1-2 minutes or until surface begins to become opaque. Use a spatula to peek at the underside. If it’s lightly browning, carefully flip the egg over and continue to cook. Check again after another minute. If you’re making a 3- or 4-egg batch, the eggs will obviously require a larger pan and will take longer to cook. Just be sure to fight the urge to turn up the heat, because if you do, you’ll probably overcook the eggs and make them rubbery.
When the egg is done, use a pan-safe spatula to gently cut it into pieces. Slide out of pan and into bowl, then toss with beans, tomatillo, and tomato. Add more oil if desired; salt and pepper to taste. You may also want to sprinkle a little chili powder over the top and/or add chopped fresh cilantro. If you’re making this dish for lunch or dinner, you could always serve it alongside salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Enjoy!
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Tags: black beans, egg salad, eggs, southwestern, tomatillos
