With an array of ingredients, deviled eggs can be an open palette for your palate
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Deviled eggs are as American as apple pie. Although maybe not American in origin, they are a potluck fixture for many family picnics, reunions and church suppers from sea to shining sea.
As with all delicious foodie concoctions, eventually what finds itself a little passé over time will make a hip resurgence on the culinary landscape. These days, deviled eggs are the new comeback kid.
Traditional Deviled Eggs
Margaret Hohman deviled 16 eggs every Wednesday night for over 30 years for Immanuel Baptist Church’s Fellowship Supper in Frankfort, Ky. She says that weekly ritual was, for her, a work of love. When she had open heart surgery and was not there for four Wednesdays, one of the 9-year-olds sent her a get well card which read: “Dear Miss Margaret, I miss you at church but I miss your eggs more. Love, Rachel.”
Here’s Miss Margaret’s recipe, in her own words:
“I begin with two Tupperware deviled egg containers. Boil 16 eggs for 12-15 minutes. When the timer goes off, cool the eggs in ice water. Remove shells. Cut eggs in half long ways. Put egg yolks in a bowl, mash with a dough cutter. Add to the yolks a pinch of salt and pepper, two tablespoons of sugar, two squirts of prepared mustard, a splash of vinegar, about three tablespoons of Miracle Whip salad dressing. Whip the mixture with a wire whisk until the mixture is smooth. Fill egg whites with yolk mixture using a teaspoon. Place the egg halves in the Tupperware containers, keeping them in the refrigerator until time to go to church.”
A Devilish Twist
Historically, the term “deviled” had to do with the spicy kick a food would receive, with mustard being the “kick” in the classic egg yolk filling.
New twists on the old classic are popping up everywhere from high-end restaurant menus to food blogs and magazines. Think of the hard boiled egg white as the canvas and the yolk as the paint. The possibilities in creating a deviled egg masterpiece are endless.
I asked followers on my “The Art of Homemaking” Facebook page how they like to kick up their deviled egg recipe a notch. Here’s what they said:
• “Add the juice from green olives to the usual recipe with half of an olive on top.”
• “Use horseradish for that extra kick of heat. And add some bacon grease!”
• “Smoked salmon and chives. A bit of the chopped salmon mixed into the egg yolk and a small sliver placed on top. Sprinkled with chives.”
• “A healthy dose of a good curry powder and some mango chutney. Garnish with chives and mango.”
• “Bacon ranch deviled eggs.”
Kentucky Country Ham and Beer Cheese Deviled Eggs
Of course it was in me to try my hand at my own deviled egg masterpiece. This is about as Kentucky as a deviled egg can get, although I did back off last minute from the idea of adding in a splash of Ale-8-One. Feel free to try it at home if it strikes your fancy; I’ll stick to using the cold, Winchester brew as a chaser to my country ham and beer cheese deviled egg.
Ingredients:
• 12 eggs
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 4 slices country ham, diced finely
• 3-4 tablespoons beer cheese,
softened if too firm
• 1 tablespoon mustard
Directions:
Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, and cool. To cool more quickly, rinse eggs under cold running water.
Peel the hard-cooked eggs, and cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a small bowl. Mash egg yolks with mayonnaise, country ham and beer cheese. Stir in mustard. Taste. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Fill egg white halves with the yolk mixture and refrigerate until serving.
Potential deviled eggs
mix-ins and toppings
• garlic
• horseradish
• wasabi
• Sriracha
• olives
• capers
• paprika
• sliced Jalapeño peppers
• shredded cheese
• chutney
• salsa
• kimchi
• hot sauce
• diced ham
• mushrooms
• sour cream
• pimento cheese
• crab meat or other seafood
• caviar
• parsley