DDepending on the country, region, home or restaurant, each cook prepares tartar sauce in his or her own way. Inspired by Auguste Escoffier’s very simple tartare, I’ve given his recipe a zero-waste twist by using whole hard-boiled eggs and substituting a pickled brine from a jar of pickled cucumbers or capers to replace the vinegar. Everything else is optional: tarragon, mustard, cayenne pepper…add whatever you want or what you have in the store.
Traditionally, tartar sauce is delicious with fish and chips, calamari or in a chicken sandwich, but I also like it mixed into potato salad with canned sardines and radishes. It’s also great as a dip with noodles and over steamed potatoes.
Boiled egg and pickled tartar sauce
for me Boiled egg Tartar sauce uses whole eggs mixed with a few pickled cucumbers brine For acidity and flavour. I love to create mayonnaise With extra virgin olive oil – although some find it a bit bitter – I love the flavour. Avocado oil or cold-pressed sunflower oil also works well.
We enjoyed it with potato salad Canned sardinesAnd a bowl of radicchio. But traditionally, tartar sauce is delicious and is enjoyed with fried fish and chipsOr calamari or in a chicken sandwich. It’s also great served as a dip with noodles and a bed of steamed potatoes.
To boil eggs, place them in a small bowl filled with cold water. Place on high heat and leave until it boils. After boiling, cook for three minutes, then turn off the heat. Cover and leave for another three minutes. Refresh under cold water, then peel.
If the mayonnaise splits while mixing, don’t worry – pour the mixture out of the blender, add a whole raw egg, then mix constantly while slowly drizzling the separated mixture back into the egg until emulsified, adding more oil if necessary.
makes 350 – 400 ml, enough for 10 people
3 boiled eggs
1 tablespoon pickled cucumber or salted water, Or white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
200 ml of cold pressed oil (virgin olives, avocado or sunflower)
1 green onionOr separate the green and white parts, or finely chop the green part, or 5 grams of finely chopped chives
Optional extras
1 tablespoon picklesFinely chopped
1 tablespoon capersFinely chopped
5-10 grams of tender herbs (tarragon, dill, parsley, chives), stems and leaves finely chopped
1 teaspoon mustard (English, whole grain or Dijon)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
A little cayenne pepper Or a splash of hot sauce
Separate hard-boiled eggs into whites and yolks, then place two egg whites and all the yolks in the jug of an immersion blender or food processor. Add the pickled pickle or caper brine and the finely chopped green part of the scallions.
Mix them together while very slowly dripping in the oil until it becomes thick and emulsified.
Roughly chop the remaining egg whites and the white part of the green onions and add them to the mixture. Add any optional toppings such as chopped cucumber, capers, herbs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper. Season to taste and enjoy.
