Devilishly Delicious
Three takes on everyone’s favorite egg preparation.
Yes, eggs are incredible and, yes, they are edible, but don’t forget that they are quite versatile, too. There are so many ways to cook and prepare eggs, but my personal favorite is the deviled egg.
In the South it seems everybody has their own way of making deviled eggs, and, as with almost every other Southern staple, it’s a recipe handed down through generations. Some recipes use mustard and others do not. Some include dill pickle relish while others use sweet relish and some use none. And then there’s the ages-old debate about what kind of mayonnaise should be used — in my family, Duke’s Mayonnaise is the only way to go. I honestly don’t believe there is a bad deviled egg recipe. It’s all about tweaking the ingredients and proportions. Creating unique recipes is also fun and tasty.
When I make deviled eggs, I always make extra because I know I will eat at least half before I ever present them. I believe they are called deviled eggs because they are so delicious it should be a sin. But, actually, eggs are super-healthy because they provide high quality protein — 6 grams to be exact. This helps sustain mental and physical energy throughout the day. Eggs do not contain any carbs or sugar so they make for a well-rounded breakfast during the week.
Easter is a big time for deviled eggs in my family. After the children have discovered the hidden hardboiled eggs, it is time to devil them up. My in-laws play a very different egg game at Easter gatherings — in which two people ‘fight’ eggs. Each person holds a raw egg in their hand and they tap the egg against their opponent’s egg, gradually hitting harder until one breaks. The winning egg breaks all the others. (Full disclosure: The winner has usually cheated and used a hard-boiled egg).
What follows are three easy recipes: the basic Southern deviled egg recipe that my family enjoys; a flavorful avocado-infused deviled egg; and a tuna-filled egg with no yolk. Feel free to customize these by adding in some bacon, celery, ranch dressing or even some pimento cheese. The possibilities are endless!
| Servings |
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- 4 eggs hard boiled
- 4 4 additional hard-boiled egg yolks
- 2 1/2 tblsp mayonnaise Duke's
- 1 dash hot sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- fresh chives
- paprika
- salt & peper
Ingredients
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- Peel eggs, then slice each egg in half. Remove yolks and combine with other egg yolks in a bowl. Set empty egg whites aside.
- Mix mayonnaise, hot sauce, sugar, salt and pepper with yolks using a hand mixer till smooth.
- Fill a Ziploc bag with the mixture, making sure to push it all to one corner and remove as much air as possible before sealing.
- Then cut a tiny X in the corner of the bag. Gently squeeze the bag, filling each egg white with the mixture in a circular motion. Sprinkle paprika over each egg half. Top with a chive stalk.
| Servings |
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- 4 eggs hard boiled
- 1 1/2 ripe avacados
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp mustard Dijon
- 2 dashes chili powder
- 1 tsp olive oil
- paprika
Ingredients
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- Peel the eggs, then slice each egg in half. Remove yolks and place them in a bowl. Set empty egg whites aside.
- Mix avocado, lime juice, Dijon mustard and chili powder with yolks using a hand mixer, then drizzle in the oil until the mixture is smooth.
- Fill a Ziploc bag with the mixture, making sure to push it all to one corner and remove as much air as possible before sealing.
- Cut a tiny X in the corner of the bag. Gently squeeze the bag, filling each egg white with the mixture in a circular motion. Sprinkle a dash of paprika over each egg half.
| Servings |
|
- 4 hard-boiled egg whites only halved
- 4 oz tuna
- 1 tsp dill pickle juice
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 tsp fresh parsley dried or chopped
- fresh chive stalks
Ingredients
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- Mix tuna, pickle juice, parsley and cream cheese with a fork.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into egg whites.
- Top with a chive stalk.
