A classic French cold sauce made with hard-boiled eggs, whisked like a thick vinaigrette with mustard, oil, and vinegar, then finished with egg whites, capers, gherkins, and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces fresh chicken eggs
- 25 g Dijon mustard
- 200 ml sunflower oil
- 35 ml white wine vinegar
- 60 g extra-fine vinegar gherkins
- 35 g capers in vinegar
- 1 piece traditional shallot
- 1 piece fresh white scallion
- 0.5 bunches fresh chervil
- 6 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 0.5 bunches fresh chives
- 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 pinches fine salt
- to taste ground black pepper
Method
- Cook the eggs until hard-boiled: place them in a saucepan, cover generously with cold water, bring to a simmer, then maintain a steady gentle boil until the yolks are completely set. Cool them immediately in very cold water to stop the cooking and make peeling easier.
- Peel the eggs once cold. Cut them in half, remove the yolks without breaking them into a bowl, and set the whites aside. The yolks should be firm, matte, and crumbly, with no runny center.
- Prepare the garnish: cut the egg whites into very small, even dice. Drain the capers and gherkins, then roughly chop them to retain some texture. Finely mince the shallot, white onion, and fresh herbs without crushing them.
- Crumble the yolks with a fork until you have a coarse powder. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper, then work the mixture against the side of the bowl: the paste should become smooth, thick, and slightly sandy.
- Build the sauce by gradually pouring the oil over the mustardy yolks while whisking constantly. At first, add the oil in a thin stream so the base can absorb it properly; the texture should thicken, become glossy, and remain supple, without turning into smooth mayonnaise.
- Gradually incorporate the vinegar. Taste between additions: the sauce should be distinctly lively but balanced, with clear acidity that cuts through the richness without overpowering the herbs.
- Add the diced egg whites, capers, gherkins, shallot, white onion, and minced herbs. Mix gently with a spatula to distribute the pieces without turning the sauce into a purée.
- Let rest in the refrigerator before serving, long enough for the herbs to perfume the sauce and the acidity to round out. Gribiche should remain thick, dotted with visible pieces, coating but not runny.
- Serve cold or cool, by the spoonful, with tête de veau, pot-au-feu, steamed vegetables, cold fish, or asparagus. Stir briefly before serving if the oil has lightly beaded on the surface.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 527.6 kcal
- Protein
- 6.83 g
- Carbohydrate
- 2.41 g
- Fat
- 55.21 g
- Fibre
- 0.51 g
- Calcium
- 14.56 mg
- Iron
- 0.31 mg
- Magnesium
- 6.67 mg
