Weekends herald lazy brunches, newspapers and glorious conversations with those closest to you. For parents it can often be the busiest time of the week when relaxation is only a brief dream as you rush to pack everyone up for a morning at a sports venue. Either way, this recipe is perfect because both eggs and tartar sauce can be made the night before and fresh bread bought on the way there or back. Eggs are eaten for breakfast in many parts of the Western world and Bavaria is no exception. Now that scientists acknowledge that eggs are, after all, an excellent source of protein and rich in antioxidants,

why give them a miss?  In the Great egg debate we set out some rules for boiling eggs and it may be a good thing to refer to it now.  Don’t overcook your eggs – a tender white egg with a firm velvety yolk is what you’re looking for here.  Always remember that a blue or green ring around the yolk is caused by overcooking and does not mean that a bad egg has somehow snuck into your batch of eggss. Finally, remember to steep the egg in chilled water the minute it’s removed from the pot, to ensure easy peeling.

HARD BOILED EGGS WITH BAVARIAN TARTAR SAUCE

This recipe is one of those recipes that was hastily scribbled down from a German television program and made quite regularly over a two year period. It’s really good, albeit rich and you could happily substitute the full fat yoghurt and mayonnaise with the lower fat varieties for an ‘almost as good as’ taste.

Ingredients

• 12 hard boiled eggs
• 250 ml good quality German mayonnaise
• 125 ml full cream yoghurt
• 125 ml white onions, finely chopped
• 1 hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
• 2 heaped tablespoons pickled gherkins, finely chopped
• 75 ml Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1 heaped tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 juicy lemon, zest and juice
• ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce – or more if you prefer it to be spicier
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

• Combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, onions, gherkins, parsley, dill and the 2 hardboiled eggs.
• Season to taste with salt, black pepper and hot pepper sauce.
• Fold in the yogurt.
• Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.

To serve

• Slice the eggs in half, lengthwise and arrange, cut side up, on a serving plate.
• Spoon over the sauce.
• Garnish with more parsley and some more dill sprigs, if desired.
• Serve with plenty of crusty German bread.