How Hard-Boiled Egg Yolks Can Add A Crunch To Your Salad

They don't just belong in a Niçoise salad; hard-boiled eggs are a great addition to any salad, regardless of the ingredients. They're a prime source of protein, and on their own, they add a soft texture to break up all crunchy lettuce and vegetables. But we're big fans of the ultra-crunchy salad; to us, there's no such thing as "too crunchy." A crunchy salad just means there's no shortage of fresh ingredients. If you're with us on this one, let your hard-boiled egg yolks join the crunch craze, too. Simply turn them into croutons and watch as your hard-boiled eggs go from being a simple side ingredient to the star of the show.

This creative way to use hard-boiled egg yolks comes from recipe developer Debra Clark from the Bowl Me Over blog, who gave us some of her best tips for working with egg yolks. To turn your egg yolks into crispy croutons, mix the yolks in a bowl with a bit of flour, herbs, and cheese. Once you've made a nice mixture, shape them into cubes. You can make them however big you want, but if you're planning to use them on a salad, smaller cubes might be better so they aren't too overwhelming. Once you've shaped them, roll them in a crispy coating, such as your favorite breadcrumbs, and then to finish, place them in a shallow fryer. Fry them in oil until they crisp up and become golden brown, and then scatter them over your salad.

While you could keep the flavor of your egg yolk croutons simple and just add a bit of flour and Parmigiano Reggiano, you can certainly elevate the flavor a bit more by adding different herbs or cheeses to the flour mixture. One great flavor combo for croutons is lemon and thyme; the citrusy lemon flavor helps balance out the peppery thyme quite well. Plus, you probably already have both ingredients at home. When you add these flavors to a salad, you'll find that they add just the right amount of brightness. Our recipe for lemon-thyme croutons, which was adapted from chef Tim Dornon of Austin's Qui, can be adapted for the egg yolk croutons. Add a bit of lemon zest to achieve that subtle flavor, along with some dried or fresh thyme, and follow Clark's crouton recipe as usual.

Another unexpected ingredient that will elevate your egg yolk croutons is anchovies. Simply cook a few fillets in olive oil and use the oil to fry your bread-based croutons. You'll find that this adds a really complex flavor to your salad, and if you're adding these croutons to a Caesar salad, even better, since anchovies are a core ingredient of the fan-favorite dish. However you choose to alter this innovative recipe is sure to add an exciting layer of crunch to give your daily salad a much-needed boost.