Fresh Tart

I'll admit, this is a bit similar to the post below (grilled cheese with baby artichokes), as in, "How to Make a Meal from a Baguette," but hey, a baguette makes a lovely meal, as do artichokes and eggs, so stay with me.  Just like in Caesar salad, the anchovy adds a punch of salty-savory, without being overwhelmingly fishy.  A squeeze of lemon brightens the whole, and a swipe of garlic across the crostini ties it all together.  Finish with a shower of minced chives and freshly ground pepper, alongside a simple salad, and I promise, a light, lovely dinner.  Or appetizer (minus the salad), definitely a great appetizer - pair with a tart Sauvignon Blanc.

Funny thing about that chive garnish - it's from a pot on my deck!  In March, in Minnesota!  How is that possible?  One, my supreme laziness in not clearing out my herb pots at the end of the fall.  (Chives are perennial, apparently even in tiny pots.  The other pic reveals the evergreen tree tops that I never put in the not-cleared-out herb pots before they were buried in snow.  Proof of my laziness everywhere, sigh.)  Two, it's been a crazy-hot March, no snow for the first time in more than 100 years - likely foreboding, but for now I'll take it.

Oh, here's another funny thing about that chive garnish - the spreader to the right of the egg salad (above) says...chives!  How cool is that?  I picked up a couple of these old, smashed-n-stamped spoons from Hunt & Gather in Minneapolis.  They're meant to adorn herb pots, but I think they're awfully sweet as spreaders.  Right?

Egg Salad with Lemon, Anchovies, & Crostini

Serves 6 as an appetizer, 3-4 as a main course with a salad

6 large eggs

1/4 c. mayonnaise

2 anchovies (more for garnish, if you like)

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper

1/2 baguette, cut into 1/4-inch slices

olive oil

1 garlic clove, split in half

minced chives

Hard-cook the eggs - put the eggs in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water plus 1 inch, and set uncovered over high heat.  Bring to a rolling boil, turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 11 minutes.  Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice and cold water.  When the timer goes off, transfer the eggs to the ice water and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the anchovies in a medium bowl.  Whisk in lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, and a few grinds of black pepper.  Crack and peel the eggs, dice them, then stir into the mayonnaise mixture.  (Discard two of the yolks if you'd like to lighten things up a bit.)  Cover and chill the egg salad until ready to use.

Toast the bread - drizzle olive oil all over a baking sheet.  Press the baguette slices into the oil, flip them, and press the other side into the oil.  Sprinkle the slices with coarse salt and either grill them or toast them in a hot oven until golden at the edges.  Rub them lightly with cut garlic and let cool.

To serve, mound egg salad on crostini, sprinkle with minced chives, lay anchovies over the tops (if desired), and serve.