Four-Minute Egg Gribiche

Adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers. "This herby, shalloty mayonnaise is good with grilled fish or poultry," says Rodgers' headnote, "on sandwiches, or with fried shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, or soft-shelled crab, as well as boiled shrimp or cracked crab. It will turn ordinary boiled potatoes into excellent potato salad." I tried it with boiled shrimp (excellent!), boiled potatoes (a game-changer!) and roasted slices of romanesco cauliflower (delicious!). We wrote about it in two stories about gribiche.

Makes about 1 3/4 cups.

Ingredients

1 large egg

Salt

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot (about 1 medium shallot)

1 tablespoon tightly packed chopped fresh herbs (a combination of parsley, chervil and chives, plus a little tarragon or dill)

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, pressed dry between paper towels and roughly chopped

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Place the egg in a small pot of barely simmering water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain and leave to cool in a bowl of ice water.

2. When the egg is cool, crack it and scrape into a small bowl. Stir in a pinch or two of salt and the mustard. Mash together, then begin whisking in the oil a few drops at a time. Once a creamy emulsion is established, you can start adding the oil in a thin stream as you continue to whisk. The finished sauce will be thick and glossy. Stir in the shallots, herbs, capers and vinegar, plus salt to taste.