An egg and cress sandwich is one of those archetypal British butties, my version has all the things you would expect and a few surprises too.
They are quick and easy to put together, you can even prepare the filling a couple of days in advance, store it in the fridge, then fill you sandwiches when you are ready.
Boiled Egg and Cress Sarnie
I love a good sarnie and in recent weeks, I have expanded my offerings significantly.
Adding favourites like corned beef and piccalilli sandwiches, sausage and egg sandwiches, bloody mary prawn sandwiches, chicken Waldorf salad wraps and fish finger sandwiches to my site has made me very happy indeed!
My latest offering is one that divides opinion, yet it is a perennial favourite on an “Afternoon Tea” platter.
Not that this glorious deep-filled egg and cress sandwich shares much in common with dainty finger food. These are sarnies built to fill your belly and not to look “twee” on a cake stand.
They contain all of the ingredients you would expect, boiled eggs, mayonnaise and of course salad (mustard) cress.
I like to add watercress to add an extra peppery bite, some cornichons and spring onions to my mix.. and then something that will divide many of you.
Salad cream, that much-maligned British “salad dressing”, but it sits on an egg and cress sarnie beautifully adding both tartness and sweetness to the filling.
So there you go, my perfect boiled egg butty, enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use brown/wholewheat bread?
No, of course not! It is your bread you should use the bread that you prefer.
As far as I am concerned a seeded wholemeal bread is perfect for an egg and cress butty, but you should make it your own!
What is salad cream?
Salad cream is a curious British condiment, that is made of an emulsion of oil and egg yolk. In many ways it is simlar to mayonnaise, but it contains much more water and vinegar.
It also contains a little sugar that adds both a tartness and sweetness that works really well in this sandwich.
Can I make my own salad cream?
Yes, there are a number of recipes out there that make a good approximation of Salad Cream, this is my favourite homemade salad cream recipe.
However, I have a confession, I have very little need for salad cream and only use it in a few recipes. As a result, I usually scrounge some from my mother-in-law, who loves it. Or I appropriate those little packets from pub restaurants!
Can I omit the salad cream?
Yes, of course! Just make up the volume with an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise, it will taste great.
Can I use low-fat mayonnaise?
Yes, if low fat is important to you, then knock yourself out. I usually use my homemade mayonnaise recipe so long as I have a use lined up for the leftovers.
Can I make this in advance?
The sandwiches need to be made up as close to eating as possible because they go very soggy if left to stand.
However, the sandwich filling can be left in the fridge for 2-3 days if stored correctly.
Serving Suggestions
I consider this hearty egg and cress sandwich to be a pretty complete lunch.
If I were to add anything, as I have here, it would be a bag of crisps, I’d go for ready salted or salt and black pepper if I am feeling “fancy”. BTW, if you are visiting from the US, crisps to us Brits are the same as chips to you guys!
Something else that I have an enormous weakness for on the side of a sandwich is pickles.
Some big sweet pickled gherkins would pick out the flavours of the cornichons in his recipe perfectly.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 18cm or 7″ saucepan.
- Slotted spoon.
- Large bowl for iced water.
- Mixing bowl.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Fork and butter knife.
- A combination of weighing scales and measuring spoons.
My Favourite Egg and Cress Sandwich Recipe
Boiled eggs, mayonnaise, salad cress and watercress are all essential ingredients in an egg and cress sandwich, my version adds a little salad cream, spring onions and some cornichons and it makes them even better!
Ingredients
- 4 Large Eggs
- 6 Slices Wholemeal Seeded Bread
- 35g (2 Tbsp + 1 Tsp) Butter
- 25g (⅓-½ Cup) Salad Cress
- 15g (2-3 Tbsp) Watercress
- 25g (6-7) Cornichons
- 2 Spring Onions
- 2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp Salad Cream
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- Pinch of White Pepper
Instructions
- Bring an 18cm or 7" saucepan of water to a rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer, add the eggs and boil for 7½-8 minutes, then plunge them into ice-cold water whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Snip the cress and toss it into a medium mixing bowl.
- Roughly chop the watercress and add it to the bowl.
- Finely dice the cornichons and toss them in with both types of cress.
- Cut the spring onions into thin rounds and add them to the bowl.
- By now your eggs should be cool enough to handle, peel them add them to the bowl with the salad ingredients and then roughly mash the eggs with a fork.
- Add the mayonnaise and salad cream, stir to combine and have a taste adding the salt and white pepper to your preference.
- Butter the inside faces of each slice of bread, divide the filling between the sandwiches, and get stuck in!
Notes
I serve one and a half sandwiches per person when I make this, it just feels right, one sandwich feels mean and two feels like way too much!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 790Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 461mgSodium: 1387mgCarbohydrates: 76gFiber: 9gSugar: 8gProtein: 27g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.