Turkish Egg Salad with Arugula and Herbs
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time35 minutes
- 1
The Turkish egg salad called nergisleme is named after the daffodil (nergis in Turkish) because its colors are white, yellow and green, like the springtime flower. Typically, herbs are tossed into the chopped eggs, the whole mixture seasoned with little more than olive oil and spicy chili. We took a slightly different approach, dressing a mixture of arugula and herbs with a lemon vinaigrette spiked with both sumac and Aleppo pepper (or paprika mixed with cayenne), which we then use as a bed for the eggs. Chopped toasted walnuts add texture but are optional. Serve with warm flatbread.
Don’t overcook the eggs. Steaming them for 11 minutes yields fully cooked but still creamy yolks. Make sure to transfer the eggs right away to an ice bath. This stops the cooking and also cools them quickly for easy peeling.
Step 1
Fill a large saucepan with 1 inch water. Place a folding steamer basket in the pan, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high. When the water is boiling, add the eggs, cover and cook for 11 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice water.
Step 2
While the eggs are cooking, in a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, sumac, Aleppo pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt. Measure 2 tablespoons of the dressing into a small bowl. Set both bowls aside.
Step 3
When the eggs are done, immediately transfer them to the ice bath and let stand until cooled, about 5 minutes. Peel the eggs and chop them into ¼-inch pieces; set aside.
Step 4
Whisk the dressing in the large bowl to recombine. Add the arugula, scallions and dill, then toss well. Transfer to a serving platter, creating a bed of greens, then top with the eggs.
Drizzle the reserved dressing onto the eggs, then sprinkle with the walnuts (if using).
