Mayonnaise (just enough to hold egg salad together, ½ cup or so)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (for egg salad—remember, a lot of fat in the form of cream cheese and sour cream will be added)
Curry powder to taste (for egg salad, just a pinch or two)
1 red onion, finely chopped, rinsed under warm water, then squeezed dry in a paper towel
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces sour cream
1 large tin (16 ounces) American Paddlefish caviar
1 large tin (16 ounces) American Paddlefish caviar
Instructions
Grease a 10-inch springform pan with a little mayonnaise.
In a medium bowl mash the hard-boiled eggs with a fork and add enough mayonnaise so that it all adheres.
Season the egg mixture with salt, pepper, and curry to taste.
Spread the egg salad into the bottom of the springform pan.
Evenly spread the chopped red onion on top of the egg.
Mix the softened cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Begin to drop the cheese mixture on top of the red onions, then smooth over with a wet spatula. The recipe can be prepared up to this point the day before (recommended); refrigerate covered with plastic wrap. Be sure to place the springform pan on a paper towel on a plate or sheet tray because the sour cream can cause a little leakage.
When ready to serve, remove the springform pan from the refrigerator and spread the caviar on top.
Remove the paper towel, un-ring the caviar pie, and transfer to a serving dish (or serve it off the springform pan, as I did).
Notes
Serving Note: The day before, slice French baguettes thinly on a diagonal, spread with a butter mixture of finely chopped herbs and garlic salt, bake in a very hot oven, cool, and zip-lock till serving time.