Egg Salad Irish Style ("Mrs. Doyle's Diagonals")
English
Chapter 2: Catholic School Lunches and Midday Comforts
It is an artifact of mid-century Irish domesticity, whipped up by the dozen for wakes, christenings, and loud, crowded schoolyards. Unfussy, perfectly proportioned, and stubbornly devoid of the towering, messy ambition of the American deli sandwich. You mash the eggs, slice the scallion for snap, and slather soft white bread with good butter to hold the line against the moisture. Bound together with a sharp, tangy dressing that mimics the beloved Heinz salad cream of the old country, it is a masterclass in flawless, working-class simplicity. Cozy, straightforward, and deeply comforting, it is best taken with a hot, dark cup of tea.
Ingredients
- large eggs4
- Roma tomato or small Campari tomatoes1
- scallions white and light green parts only2
- butter lettuce leaves thinly shredded3 to 4
- high quality mayonnaise3 tablespoons
- Dijon mustard or yellow mustard1 teaspoon
- white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon
- granulated sugar1 pinch
- kosher salt1/4 teaspoon
- freshly ground black pepper1/8 teaspoon
- soft standard white sandwich bread4 to 6 slices
- European style salted butter softened2 to 3 tablespoons
Method
- 01
Hard boil and separate the eggs.
Cover the eggs with cold water, bring to a rolling boil, kill the heat, and cover for ten to twelve minutes. Shock them in ice water, peel, crumble the yolks, and finely dice the whites to avoid a paste-like texture.
- 02
Gut and dice the tomato.
Halve the tomato and mercilessly scrape out the wet seeds and pulp before dicing the firm outer flesh, lest your sandwich turn to mush. Add it to the eggs along with the sliced scallions and shredded lettuce.
- 03
Mix the tangy binder.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to replicate the sharp bite of classic Irish salad cream, then fold it gently into the egg mixture.
- 04
Butter the bread edge to edge.
Lay the bread out in pairs and generously butter the inside of every slice. This isn't just for flavor; it forms a crucial, waterproof barrier against the filling.
- 05
Assemble trim and slice diagonally.
Spread a modest, manageable layer of egg salad over the butter, top with the remaining bread, and gently press. Carve off the crusts, then cut the sandwich into four sharp diagonal triangles—a non-negotiable homage to Mrs. Doyle.
Notes
Replicating the salad cream experience.
Traditional Irish cooks rely on a shelf-stable condiment called salad cream. Cutting American mayonnaise with mustard, vinegar, and sugar replicates this tang perfectly. If you have access to imported Heinz Salad Cream, simply substitute three to four tablespoons instead.
The science of sogginess prevention.
De-seeding the tomato, applying an edge-to-edge butter barrier, and mixing the lettuce directly into the fat-based binder are critical, working-class defenses against a soggy sandwich.
From The Irish American Table.