Japanese Egg Salad Sandwiches

We're usually up for trying something new and different.  For example, Japanese egg salad sandwiches.  I read an article that said that they're VERY popular in Japan.  Sold in convenience stores, grocery stores, pretty much anywhere you can get food.  The recipe looked interesting.  It called for taking the yolks out and mashing them with the Kewpie mayonnaise.  And, the recipe calls for Japanese milk bread.  I hunted through eatyourbooks.com for a recipe.  Nothing.  So, on to the internet.  Allrecipes had a bread machine recipe that looked super easy.  

Next up was a trip to Sakura Mart for the Kewpie mayonnaise.  We needed several things at the grocery but Kroger online seemed to be sold out of everything.  That meant a trip ourselves.  Since we were going to a new liquor store - called Total Wine - and there was an Aldi's next door, I suggested that we see if we could find what we needed there.  Two comments here.  Total Wine is amazing.  We will NOT be buying our wine there.  There's a small, locally owned place called Cork and Cracker where we buy our wine.  Other than one wine club, that's where we buy all of our wine.  But, for liquor?  Ah, yes, we will be back.  An amazing selection.  Aldi's.  Well, I know there are a LOT of very devoted Aldi's shoppers.  We are not in that group.  We want too many odd and interesting things.  Our most recent grocery list was pear nectar, salad mix, cottage cheese, bread, duck breasts and eggroll wrappers.  We could find exactly half of that at Aldi's.  Not worth my time to go two places when one will do.  

That same shopping trip had some successes and some failures.  First the success.  There's a bookstore called Kids Ink where we buy books for our grandkids and for our niece's kids.  I wish I'd kept a list of all of the books we've purchased there.  Let's just say that when everything was shut down last spring Connie called there to have books shipped to everyone and Terri knew exactly who he was.  Not that the Boston accent hurt.  LOL.  While we did buy a bunch of restaurant gift certificates (only one of which has gone belly up - thankfully!) we spent more on books because we really want Kids Ink to stick around!  I will say it felt wonderful to walk in and see Terri in person!!

Then, the failure.  Duck breasts.  I was so sure Kincaids would have them that I didn't even call ahead.  They did but it was a pack of four - solidly frozen.  We split one for dinner.  That'd mean four nights in a row of duck.  No go.  We called two other places, hoping to shop locally.  No go.  So, when we ran by the office to do some scanning, I hopped online and ordered exactly what we wanted from Maple Leaf Farms.  Still a local, INdiana company.  But, I really wanted to buy them at a local store!

What did we think?  The bread was a good, serviceable loaf of white bread.  I'm not a huge fan of white bread but this was good.  I'll make it again.  The egg salad was delightful with one exception.  I thought it was a bit salty.  (AHHH, as I posted my photos I see the problem!  I used regular salt and not Kosher!)  Next time, and there will be a next time, I'll cut the salt in half.  Kewpie Mayonnaise is amazing.  You can taste the dry mustard in it.  Yet, it's super creamy.  And, I love the cute star on the dispenser.  It really makes it so that you can decorate with it. 

Last but not least, taking the egg yolks out and making the dressing with them is brilliant.  You know I rarely make a recipe without changing something...  Well, I didn't cut the crusts off the bread.  I know it's wasteful, but please do so.  I'm too frugal sometimes.  

Milk Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/8 c milk

3 c flour

1 t salt

3 T white sugar

1 1/2 t active dry yeast

Directions:

Put the ingredients in your bread machine in the order specified for your model.  Mine is wet first, followed by dry, followed by yeast.  Hit the white bread button and wait.  And, enjoy the lovely aroma!

adapted from Allrecipes.com

Japanese Egg Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 hard cooked eggs, shelled

2 T Kewpie mayonnaise (you should NOT substitute here)

1 t milk or cream

1/4 t kosher salt

1/4 t sugar

2 slices milk bread

room temp butter

Directions:

Cut the eggs in half and put the yolks in a bowl.  I used a fork to smash them.  

Add in the Kewpie mayo, milk, salt and sugar.  Mix well.  Chop the egg whites.  Stir those in.  Cut the crusts off the bread.  Butter the bread.  Put the egg salad on one slice and make your sandwich.