Mushroom Egg Salad

I first came across this recipe in an issue of Saveur magazine.  But it wasn't until I saw it again here that I was convinced to give it a try.  I'm so glad I did!  This is unlike any egg salad I've ever tasted, but it's hard to say why.  Let me just say, if you like mushrooms at all, you will love this.  And the caramelized onions add a depth of flavor that is delicious.  Patience is required to pull the simple ingredients together, but in my humble opinion, it's totally worth it!

5 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. mushrooms, roughly chopped
½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill (I used about 1 Tbsp dried)
4 hard-boiled eggs, roughly chopped
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 10” or 12” skillet over medium-high heat, and add the mushrooms. (If they don’t all fit in the pan at once, let the first panful wilt down a bit, and then add the rest. It’ll work out fine.) Cook, stirring often, until lighly browned, 14-16 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, and set aside. Wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onions begin to soften; then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until lightly caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms. Add the dill and eggs, and stir to mix.

I used less mayo than the recipe calls for, and still didn't use up all my dressing.  I don't like my salad very wet, though.  In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. Add a couple of spoonfuls to the mushroom mixture, and toss until evenly combined. Taste, and add more dressing as needed.  Season with salt and pepper. Depending on how deeply browned the onions are, you might also want an extra squeeze of lemon.

Pile on lightly toasted bread – preferably sourdough rye, if you’ve got some – and serve open-faced.

Yield: about 2 cups