When you have a lot of kids, you end up with a lot of everything at holidays…a lot of Halloween candy, a lot of Christmas ornaments, Christmas presents, Christmas cookies, a lot junk food on Superbowl (a holiday in my house) and a lot of hard-boiled eggs for coloring. I’m talking like 60 hard-boiled eggs. I know, each kid does not really need a dozen eggs to color, and I mean finding a place to hide 60 eggs andddddd remembering where I hid them all is just dumb on my part, but whatever – they all like doing it, and the one year I had like eight eggs per kid, they were finished in about 10 minutes and bored for the evening and wondering why they hardly had any eggs to color. This way I get like 30 minutes of busyness…maybe a little more.
I don’t know about you, but, there is only so much egg salad I can prepare and stomach. After about three days of sandwiches I can’t even look at it. And I like deviled eggs, and we use up some eggs with that too, but just…no and it is super similar to egg salad, so…there’s gotta be something else.
And is there ever. Some of you might already know this one, but if you don’t or if you’ve heard of it but never tried it, I am here to tell you…
Gribiche is the best thing you’re not eating and likely not making.
This is a Scandinavian dressing/condiment/put-it-on-everything sauce that should be called Awesome Sauce because, wtf, it is incredible. The first time I ever had it was at O’Hare airport at Paul Kahan’s Publican outpost there. I ordered a Norwegian cod sandwich and gribiche was on it. I kind of was grossed out when I asked what it was, but the waiter was so damn sure it was the best sauce ever that I just kept it – who am I to argue with Paul Kahan anyways. If he puts it on the sandwich – it belongs there. Three bites in to the sandwich and I had my laptop out and was looking up what exactly gribiche is and how to make it. It’s like tartar sauce went to on one of those shows and got the makeover of all time ever. Any of it that fell off the sandwich I used for my fries and then I licked the plate – for real.
Now there’s tons of ways to make it I found…a lot have mayonnaise as a base – Paul Kahan’s did – but this one…this simple and just so damn good, particular one that I am sharing is not mayo-based and is so light and fresh.
And two additionally awesome things I learned from making this –
- Cornichons are not the gherkin pickles typically seen in our grocery store. They are so much more interesting and so much better. I found ACTUAL cornichons – French sour pickles – at Trader Joes, and they are not expensive.
- Said cornichons should be in more things. Period. They are tasty little f’ers and we should be finding and sharing more ways to use them…I’ll start – I put them in my tuna salad, egg salad and brined chicken in the juice. All turned out to be great ideas.
Gribiche is perfection as a dressing for spring vegetables – i.e. your Easter table asparagus vegetable side dish. It takes about 45 seconds to assemble and makes great use of a few of those Easter eggs.
I promise you, this is the best thing you’re probably not making. And if you are making it, then tell everyone you know it is the best thing THEIR not making.
Gribiche (Scandinavian awesome sauce) – from Bon Appetit
Ingredients
- 6 cornichons chopped
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- Kosher or sea salt and a lot of freshly ground pepper
- 3 hard-boiled eggs coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped herbs I use parsley
Instructions
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Combine cornichons, oil, vinegar, capers, and mustard in a small bowl to and whisk together; season with salt (just a tiny bit) and pepper. Gently mix eggs and parsley into dressing with a spoon – not the whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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You can make this two days prior to eating too, (though it takes so little time to make I don’t know why you’d need to) refrigerate and just put out a few hours before the meal to let come to room temperature.
Gribiche (Scandinavian awesome sauce) – from Bon Appetit
6 cornichons, chopped
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
Kosher or sea salt, and a lot of freshly ground pepper
3 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped herbs (I use parsley)
Combine cornichons, oil, vinegar, capers, and mustard in a small bowl to and whisk together; season with salt (just a tiny bit) and pepper. Gently mix eggs and parsley into dressing with a spoon – not the whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
You can make this two days prior to eating too, (though it takes so little time to make I don’t know why you’d need to) refrigerate and just put out a few hours before the meal to let come to room temperature..
Totally new recipe ideas for me. Never heard of this. Will have to try it out.
Definitely give it a try 🙂
What an interesting way to dress up vegetables! I am always looking for new ways to add flavor to veggies. Thanks for the recipe!
It is for sure different. I have made for guests and a lot of times they are skeptical at first…til they try it. I haven’t had one person not like it 🙂
Ohh it sounds so unique!! Gribiche!!! I’ll definjtely have to try this recipe! Never thought of adding a egg-relish type to my asparagus! YUM! Possibly going to try it for Easter Brunch! I’ll let ya know how it turns out!!
I love it for Easter because it it incorporates the hard-boiled eggs from coloring and a great spring vegetable. Let me know how you guys like it 🙂
It sounds very interesting and fresh 🙂
Thanks, if you happen to ever try it, let me know what you think. I am always curious what people think about things they have never tried before.
This sounds delicious. I’ve never heard of it but I love trying other cultures’ foods so I’m definitely going to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!