Cold Eggs Carême

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Four oval tartlet tins, about 4 by 3 inches (10 by 7 cm), or four 4-inch (10 cm) round tartlet tins
• •Four shallow ovenproof egg dishes
• •Oval cutter, about 3 by 2¼ inches (8 by 6 cm), or a parchment template and sharp paring knife
• •Rolling pin
• •Parchment paper and baking weights
• •Thin offset spatula
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pâte brisée

   Combine the flour and pastry salt, then rub in the cold butter until the mixture holds flat flakes and small crumbs. This is pâte brisée, short pastry, and tenderness depends on leaving the butter cold rather than working it into a paste. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and toss with a fork; add the remaining water a teaspoon at a time only until a squeezed handful holds together. Gather without kneading, flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

   If the dough cracks apart when squeezed, add another teaspoon of water. If it turns sticky, dust it lightly with the reserved flour and chill it for 10 minutes. Pastry gives warnings before it gives trouble.
2. 2

   Shape and blind-bake

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter four oval tartlet tins measuring about 4 by 3 inches (10 by 7 cm). Roll the pâte brisée about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, cut four generous ovals, and ease them into the tins without stretching. Trim the rims, prick the bases, and chill for 20 minutes. Line each case with parchment and baking weights, then bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the rims are pale gold. Remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes, until the bases feel dry and look evenly golden. Cool completely before unmolding.

   If the pastry tears while you line a tin, press on a thin patch of scrap dough and chill the case before baking. A cold patch bonds cleanly; a warm one slides. Ça se rattrape.
3. 3

   Cook and chill salmon

   Reduce the oven to 325°F (165°C). Butter a small baking dish, set in the salmon, and season with about one-quarter of the remaining salt and a little white pepper. Cover loosely with buttered parchment and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the flesh is just opaque, separates into moist flakes, and reaches 145°F (63°C) at its thickest point. Cool the fillet whole, then refrigerate until thoroughly cold. Blot away surface moisture and any white albumin before cutting it into neat ¼-inch (5 mm) dice.

4. 4

   Bake eggs on dishes

   Butter four shallow ovenproof egg dishes. Break each egg into a cup first, then slide it into its dish so the yolk remains whole and centered. Season the whites lightly with the remaining salt and pepper. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 8 to 11 minutes, until the whites are completely opaque and the yolks are softly set enough to hold their shape when chilled. If a yolk drifts while the white is still fluid, nudge it gently back toward the center with a spoon.

5. 5

   Chill and trim eggs

   Let the eggs stand in their dishes for 10 minutes. Loosen each one with a thin offset spatula and slide it onto a parchment-lined tray. Chill uncovered for about 30 minutes, until no warmth remains, then cover. Center an oval cutter measuring about 3 by 2¼ inches (8 by 6 cm) around each yolk and press straight through the white, or cut around a parchment template with a sharp paring knife. Blot both sides dry. If an edge splits, tuck it together when the egg meets the salmon; the caviar thread will conceal the seam.

6. 6

   Bind the salmon dice

   Fold ¼ cup (60 ml / 55 g) of the cold mayonnaise through the diced salmon. Add only enough of the remaining mayonnaise to make the dice cohere when lifted on a spoon; the salmon should remain distinct, not swim in sauce. If the mixture becomes loose, drain it in a fine sieve for 5 minutes and fold in a spoonful of the reserved cold mayonnaise. Keep it chilled.

7. 7

   Fill the tartlets

   Check that the shells, salmon, and eggs are all cold and dry. This is the decisive checkpoint. If a shell has softened, bake it for 4 minutes at 325°F (165°C), then let it cool completely before continuing. Divide the salmon mixture among the tartlet cases and level it just below the rims. Set one trimmed egg over each filling, yolk centered, and press only enough to seat it without crushing the pastry.

8. 8

   Add caviar and truffle

   Use a small spoon to lay 2 teaspoons of caviar in a narrow, continuous thread around each egg where it meets the salmon. Set one thin slice of black truffle on each egg, centered over the yolk. Arrange the tartlets on a chilled platter and serve at once, or refrigerate for no more than 30 minutes so the pastry keeps its crisp bite. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use true full-fat mayonnaise, not salad dressing or a reduced-fat spread. The egg-and-oil emulsion must bind the salmon without turning watery, and cold food exposes a weak sauce immediately.
• •A modest but fresh salmon fillet serves perfectly if you cook it with attention. Keep it whole while cooling, then dice it cold; warm salmon flakes and smears instead of holding the precise little cubes the source requires.
• •Choose clean, lightly salted sturgeon caviar and use it as seasoning. A narrow thread gives salinity in every bite without burying the egg or salmon.
• •Fresh Périgord black truffle is splendid when available. Outside its season, a whole preserved black truffle is the classical pantry's honest answer; truffle paste cannot provide the thin black slice that defines the finish.
• •Oval tins preserve the source's silhouette. If you own only 4-inch (10 cm) round tartlet tins, use them and keep the eggs oval. Matching metalwork is presentation scaffolding; crisp pastry supporting the composed garnish is the intent.
• •For pregnant, elderly, very young, or immunocompromised guests, use pasteurized shell eggs and bake the yolks until fully set. Chill the cooked eggs promptly and keep the finished tartlets at or below 40°F (4°C).
• •Pour a brut Champagne or a taut Chablis. Both have enough acidity for the mayonnaise and salmon, while their restraint leaves the caviar and truffle legible.

Advance Preparation

• •Bake the tartlet shells up to one day ahead. Once completely cool, keep them airtight at room temperature; refrigerating bare pastry encourages it to soften.
• •Cook the salmon and eggs up to one day ahead. Chill them separately, cover only after they are cold, and trim the eggs on the day of service.
• •The salmon can be diced and bound with mayonnaise up to 4 hours ahead. Fill the shells and add the eggs shortly before serving, then apply the caviar and truffle last.
• •Do not freeze the assembled tartlets. The mayonnaise separates, the egg white toughens, and the pastry loses the crisp contrast on which the dish depends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 175g)