Making eggs devilishly good

Whether you like them simple or fancy, deviled eggs are always top candidates for star status on the buffet, particularly around Easter.

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For perfect deviled eggs …

Try to use eggs that are 1 to 2 weeks old. They peel easier than fresh eggs.

Place eggs in a pan in a single layer, fill pan with cold water until the level is 1 inch above the eggs, and bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water before peeling.

Crack the shell all over by gently rolling the egg between your hands or across the counter. Starting at the large end of the egg, where there is generally an air pocket, gently remove the shell.

You may notice a thin membrane between the shell and the egg white. If you can get under that membrane, the shell will peel away easier with the membrane.

Run under cool water to rinse away any bits of shell that stick to the egg white.

When making a large batch of deviled eggs, the food processor can cut time off making the filling.

If you want a uniform filling and don’t have a pastry bag, stuff the filling inside a large zipper-lock bag, then snip off one bottom corner of the bag and squeeze the filling into each egg.

Sources: “Deviled Eggs: 50 Recipes from Simple to Sassy” by Debbie Moose; Lindsey Nair

Green Eggs and Ham

Makes 12

2 tsp. green food coloring
6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, halved, yolks mashed in bowl
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
1⁄4 cup finely chopped country ham
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Pour food coloring on a plate. Gently roll egg white halves in dye, then place them hollow side down on a cake rack over a plate or newspaper to dry.

2. Thoroughly mix the yolks, mayonnaise, mustard and ham. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

3. Gently dab whites with paper towels to remove any excess food coloring before filling eggs.

Source: “Deviled Eggs: 50 Recipes from Simple to Sassy” by Debbie Moose

Crabby Eggs

Makes 12

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, halved, yolks mashed in bowl
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sour cream
1⁄3 cup chopped cooked crabmeat, picked over for shells
3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. diced avocado (optional)
2 tsp. chopped onion
2 tsp. well-drained capers
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 tsp. celery seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika for garnish

1. Combine yolks with the mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in the next seven ingredients. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
2. Stuff whites evenly, then garnish each egg with a dash of paprika.

Source: “Deviled Eggs: 50 Recipes from Simple to Sassy” by Debbie Moose

Dirty Martinis

Makes 12

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, halved, yolks mashed in a bowl
5 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 1⁄2 tsp. vodka
1 Tbsp. plus 1 1⁄2 tsp. green olive juice (from the jar)
1⁄4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1⁄2 tsp. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Slices of green olives for garnish

1. Combine yolks with mayonnaise, vodka, olive juice, cayenne and parsley. Taste and season with salt and lots of black pepper.

2. Stuff whites evenly, then garnish each egg with an olive slice.

Source: “Deviled Eggs: 50 Recipes from Simple to Sassy” by Debbie Moose

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Lindsey Nair | 981-3343

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

We spend time in our kitchens boiling, cooling, peeling, slicing, smashing, stuffing and sprinkling, then carry our beautiful deviled eggs to a potluck, where the plate barely makes it to the table before it’s clean.

The passion that people have for this ultimate two-bite treat is one reason many of us make them for gatherings, particularly around Easter. But factor in how easy and inexpensive they are to make, and it’s clear that deviled eggs are always top candidates for star status on the buffet.

As a child, I fell in love with my grandmother’s version, which was always heavy on the tangy mustard. As an adult, I stick to the classic Southern recipe for this cookout staple: mayonnaise, yellow mustard, pickle relish, salt and pepper, with a pinch of sugar in the mix and a dash of paprika on top.

It turns out I’m not the only one who prefers this traditional style. When I conducted a poll on my blog recently, about 250 people voted and 74 percent said they like their deviled eggs the simple way. Twenty percent voted to “fancy up” deviled eggs with ingredients such as crab meat or pimiento cheese, while 6 percent said they don’t like deviled eggs no matter how you stuff them.

Those poor people.

While I was obsessing over deviled eggs in preparation for this column, I came upon some information that changed my understanding of the dish. According to “Food Lover’s Companion” by Sharon Tyler Herbst , to “devil” a food means to mix in spicy ingredients such as hot sauce or red pepper flakes (think deviled crab). Spicy mustard would qualify as a devilish ingredient, but eggs made with mild mustard are technically not deviled at all — they are simply stuffed.

Maybe that’ll make some folks feel better about eating such a sinful-sounding food on what is supposed to be a very holy holiday this weekend. If not, consider that eggs have a great deal of religious symbolism.

Since ancient times, eggs have represented fertility and rebirth. They were decorated long before Christianity came along, but have since been emblematic of Jesus’ rising from the tomb. These days, Easter eggs often have a little surprise inside, and I’d argue that you can regard the delicious filling of a deviled egg as a tasty surprise, as well.

If you want to crack the traditional mold and experiment a bit with your next batch of deviled eggs, consider some of these variations suggested by my blog readers:

“To my egg mixture I’d add some whipped cream cheese instead of mayo. Then some finely minced red onion. Some finely minced smoked salmon. Mix well and fill the eggs. Then I’d top it with a few capers. It’s truly gourmet,” wrote Eddie.

“When [my husband] suggested adding a little horseradish to deviled eggs, I was skeptical and then surprised. Not bad!” wrote Ginny.

Jeff F: “I’ve been known to use finely chopped, de-seeded pickled okra or nonpareil capers instead of relish. And I will use a dash of cayenne, or smoked Spanish paprika, over the sweet paprika most traditionally used.”

Jamie Raines: “I have added bleu [sic] cheese crumbles, wasabi, and horseradish mayo in different versions and they were all divine!”

“I found a recipe last summer that gives them a bit of a kick with minced pickled jalapenos. These are now my favorite,” wrote Maria.

Bill McClure: “A very small dollop of anchovy paste will fire up any deviled egg recipe. You don’t want to taste the anchovy, [so] mix it in until it is barely in the background.”

Wrote Perch, “I like the traditional recipe, but will often sub chopped green pimento-stuffed olives in for the pickle relish.”

“I like to mix in some crab,” wrote Brendan, “but whether or not I include the crustacean, I always shake a little Old Bay on top instead of paprika.”

For those readers who plan to make deviled eggs for Easter (or any upcoming event, for that matter) I’m going to sharing some tips, tricks and a few recipes to get the creativity flowing (see above).

But the most important tip I would offer is one I’ve learned from living with my husband: If you want to savor a few deviled eggs yourself, you had better stash them somewhere in the refrigerator where nobody else will find them.

I would suggest the vegetable drawer.

On the blog: Backstreets in Blacksburg is closed, but you’ll find some of the dessert recipes at blogs.roanoke.com/fridgemagnet.

Monday, August 12, 2013