Open-Face Fava and Egg Salad Sandwiches
Iain Bagwell
Mashed favas and an exotic mix of spices give the familiar egg salad sandwich a makeover. North African–cookbook author Kitty Morse introduced us to the Tunisian spice blend called tabil, which is easy to make with ingredients that may already be in your pantry.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Make fava salad: In a bowl, coarsely mash fava beans with a pastry blender. Stir in oil, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2
2
Make egg salad: Peel and slice eggs; set aside. Using a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind garlic, coriander seeds, chile, caraway seeds, and salt to make tabil. Stir in mayonnaise, mashing mixture a bit.
Step 3
3
Generously smear one side of toasts with tabil mayonnaise. Arrange a layer of eggs on top, then spoon fava salad over eggs. Scatter chopped cilantro over sandwiches and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve sandwiches open-face and eat with a knife and fork.
Step 4
4
*Find in the spice aisle at well-stocked supermarkets, Latino markets, and americanspice.com.
Step 5
5
How to Double-Shell Favas: Makes 2 cups 30 minutes Tear open 3 lbs. fava pods*. Add beans from pods to a pot of boiling salted water and return to a boil. Cook just until beans are tender beneath skin (slit to check), 2 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Peel leathery skin by tearing beans open at rounded ends and popping out beans. *Find at well-stocked grocery stores and farmers' markets. Make ahead: All but the final peeling, up to 1 day, chilled.
Ingredients
FAVA SALAD
1 1/4 cups double-shelled fava beans (see "How to Double-Shell Favas," below)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
EGG SALAD
5 hard-cooked large eggs
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground New Mexico or California chile*
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup mayonnaise
8 slices challah bread (preferably with sesame seeds), lightly toasted
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus whole leaves
Directions
Step 1
1
Make fava salad: In a bowl, coarsely mash fava beans with a pastry blender. Stir in oil, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2
2
Make egg salad: Peel and slice eggs; set aside. Using a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind garlic, coriander seeds, chile, caraway seeds, and salt to make tabil. Stir in mayonnaise, mashing mixture a bit.
Step 3
3
Generously smear one side of toasts with tabil mayonnaise. Arrange a layer of eggs on top, then spoon fava salad over eggs. Scatter chopped cilantro over sandwiches and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve sandwiches open-face and eat with a knife and fork.
Step 4
4
*Find in the spice aisle at well-stocked supermarkets, Latino markets, and americanspice.com.
Step 5
5
How to Double-Shell Favas: Makes 2 cups 30 minutes Tear open 3 lbs. fava pods*. Add beans from pods to a pot of boiling salted water and return to a boil. Cook just until beans are tender beneath skin (slit to check), 2 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Peel leathery skin by tearing beans open at rounded ends and popping out beans. *Find at well-stocked grocery stores and farmers' markets. Make ahead: All but the final peeling, up to 1 day, chilled.
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