CURRIED EGG AND OYSTER SANDWICHES

Ingredients

• 4 whole boiled eggs (Hard-boiled; peel and chop very finely)
• 1 to taste pepper (Freshly ground black pepper recommended)
• 1 to taste salt (Used both in the egg filling and in the sauce)
• 1 loaf, sliced thin white bread (Use a good quality sandwich loaf; slice thinly)
• 1 to taste butter (Softened; for spreading lightly on the bread slices)
• 3 whole pickled oysters (Available at specialty food stores or deli counters; drain before using)
• 1 tablespoon butter (For making the curry sauce)
• 1 cup milk (Whole milk preferred for a richer sauce)
• 1 small amount flour (Plain all-purpose flour; used to thicken the sauce. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more if needed)
• 1 small amount cold milk (A few tablespoons; used to dissolve the flour before adding to the sauce to prevent lumps)
• 1 dash onion juice (Grate a small piece of onion and squeeze the juice through a fine sieve or cloth; a dash is approximately 1/4 teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon curry (Curry powder; use a mild variety if you prefer less heat)
• 1 to taste parsley (Fresh parsley sprigs or chopped; used as a garnish)

Instructions

1. 1Place a tablespoon of butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, pour in the cup of milk and stir to combine. In a small bowl, dissolve a little flour in a little cold milk, stirring until smooth with no lumps — this is called a slurry and prevents the sauce from going lumpy. Pour the slurry into the saucepan while stirring constantly. Continue to stir over medium heat until the sauce comes to a gentle boil and begins to thicken. Once thickened, add a dash of onion juice, salt and pepper to taste, and a teaspoon of curry powder. Stir well to combine.
2. 2Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for one minute, stirring occasionally. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set the sauce aside to cool completely to room temperature. The sauce needs to be cool before it is spread on the sandwiches so it does not make the bread soggy.
3. 3While the sauce cools, take your thin slices of white bread and spread a light, even layer of softened butter over one side of each slice. Use enough bread slices to make your desired number of sandwiches — you will need two slices per sandwich (a top and a bottom).
4. 4Take the four hard-boiled eggs (already peeled) and chop them very finely on a chopping board. The finer the chop, the better they will spread and hold together on the bread. Transfer the chopped eggs to a bowl and season with pepper and salt to your taste. Mix gently to distribute the seasoning evenly.
5. 5Spread the seasoned chopped egg mixture evenly over the buttered side of one slice of bread per sandwich, covering the surface all the way to the edges. This forms the base layer of your sandwich filling.
6. 6Drain the three pickled oysters and place them on top of the egg layer. Distribute them evenly across the sandwich so that each bite has a chance of including an oyster. If the oysters are large, you may gently press them down slightly so they sit flat.
7. 7Once the curry sauce has cooled to room temperature, use a spoon or butter knife to spread it gently over the egg and oyster layer. Be careful not to disturb the oysters as you spread. Use enough sauce to lightly coat the filling — you do not want so much that it will overflow when the sandwich is closed.
8. 8Place the second buttered slice of bread on top, buttered side facing down onto the filling, to close the sandwich. Press down gently. Garnish the plate or the top of the sandwich with fresh parsley sprigs or a sprinkle of chopped parsley just before serving.