It seems to me that most people have a love-hate relationship with deviled eggs. The hate side of the egg aisle definitely has reason. Everyone has been to a family potluck where they rest, inevitably, on the six-foot folding table in one of those amazing decorative trays only used for deviled eggs. Usually the tray is shaped like a chicken or something fun. Pause–I just spent ten minutes googling decorative egg platters. Good lord.
Anyway, the problems with most deviled eggs you or I have probably had are many. They either are dry or too full o’ mayo, they have no seasoning just some yellow mustard or something, they are overcooked–or my personal favorite, they have that “been out too long” taste since the creator made them early that morning and hours have passed while they got to their final destination in a trunk full of other potluck paraphernalia.
I’m going to request that you erase all of these painful memories and try at least one of these little guys. You can still serve them on one of these, though. Alright, click through to find out about all three recipes featured in my deviled egg roundup and also, how to hard-cook eggs perfectly.
First, you have to have perfectly hard-cooked eggs to work with or you’re potentially back in that potluck table zone. In order to achieve these, follow the steps below and do not use really fresh eggs. They are really difficult to peel and don’t cook up as well as 5 day or a week old eggs. Note on name, they are hard-cooked eggs not hard-boiled eggs because you do not boil the eggs through the cooking process–it’s a technicality but an important one.
Hard-cooked Eggs
1. Check eggs for visible cracks–if you find any, don’t use them.
2. Let your eggs come to room temperature. The timing listed in this recipe depends on this, as cold eggs cook more slowly. Also, cold eggs entering hot water can cause cracking.
3. Layer eggs in one layer (do not stack them–they will cook unevenly) in a cold pan and cover with cold water enough to cover the eggs and then one inch more on top.
4. Over high heat, bring eggs to a rolling boil. Watch carefully because just as the water begins to boil, you need to turn off the heat.
5. Remove pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for the following times depending on the size of your eggs:
Medium: 12
Large: 14
Jumbo: 16
6. While eggs are cooking, fill a large bowl with ice water. Once time is up, remove eggs and place into cold water to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
For all of these recipes, I want to stress that even though specific measurements are provided, they serve as more flavor guidelines and ideas. Meaning, really play and taste with how much of each thing you like to make them to your liking. Once you do the hard-cooked egg part right, it’s hard to mess the rest up. One more overall tip for these recipes is if you can let the fillings sit for an hour or more, they will be that much better–not necessary, however. Lastly, note that all recipes are scaled to 1/2 dozen eggs (12 deviled eggs.)
Roundup Recipe #1
Avocado & Crispy Proscuitto Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced lengthwise and white/yolks separated
1/2 ripe avocado, mashed well
1/4 cup arugula, finely chopped
1/2 medium-sized shallot, grated
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
3 slices of proscuitto di parma
kosher salt
Directions:
1. In a non-stick skillet, crisp proscuitto on both sides in a dry pan over low heat. About 2 minutes per side. If using a smaller pan, cut crosswise to make the pieces shorter. You are crumbling them up later so it doesn’t matter.
2. Mix avocado, grated shallot, apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, and salt together well in a bowl by hand or in a food processor. Once smooth, fold in chopped arugula.
3. To serve, put filling in a small zip top bag and snip the corner with scissors. Squeeze filling into each egg white half and top with crumbled proscuitto.
Roundup Recipe #2
Cherry Pepper & Chive Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced lengthwise and white/yolks separated
3 pickled sweet and spicy cherry peppers, finely chopped with seeds
1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
1 large clove fresh garlic, grated
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
kosher salt
Directions:
1. Mix cherry peppers, grated garlic, white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, half (1/2 teaspoon) of the smoked paprika, and salt together well in a bowl by hand or in a food processor.
2. To serve, put filling in a small zip top bag and snip the corner with scissors. Squeeze filling into each egg white half and sprinkle remaining paprika on top. Finish with chopped chives.
Recipe #3
Kalamata Olive & Watermelon Radish Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced lengthwise and white/yolks separated
3 tablespoons kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
1 large clove fresh garlic, grated
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 slices of kalamata olive, for garnish
12 thin slices of watermelon radish (or regular radish)
1 tablespoon chives, roughly chopped
Directions:
1. Mix kalamata olives, grated garlic, white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, and the cayenne pepper together well in a bowl by hand or in a food processor.
2. To serve, put filling in a small zip top bag and snip the corner with scissors. Squeeze filling into each egg white half and top with a few pieces of chive, a slice of olive, and a slice of watermelon radish.
All nifty printables are below:
- 3-5 day old eggs, medium, large or jumbo size
- Check eggs for visible cracks--if you find any, don't use them.
- Let your eggs come to room temperature. The timing listed in this recipe depends on this, as cold eggs cook more slowly. Also, cold eggs entering hot water can cause cracking.
- Layer eggs in one layer (do not stack them--they will cook unevenly) in a cold pan and cover with cold water enough to cover the eggs and then one inch more on top.
- Over high heat, bring eggs to a rolling boil. Watch carefully because just as the water begins to boil, you need to turn off the heat.
- Remove pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for the following times depending on the size of your eggs: Medium: 12, Large: 14, Jumbo: 16
- While eggs are cooking, fill a large bowl with ice water. Once time is up, remove eggs and place into cold water to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
- 6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced lengthwise and white/yolks separated
- 1/2 ripe avocado, mashed well
- 1/4 cup arugula, finely chopped
- 1/2 medium-sized shallot, grated
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 3 slices of proscuitto di parma
- kosher salt
- In a non-stick skillet, crisp proscuitto on both sides in a dry pan over low heat. About 2 minutes per side. If using a smaller pan, cut crosswise to make the pieces shorter. You are crumbling them up later so it doesn't matter.
- Mix avocado, grated shallot, apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, and salt together well in a bowl by hand or in a food processor. Once smooth, fold in chopped arugula.
- To serve, put filling in a small zip top bag and snip the corner with scissors. Squeeze filling into each egg white half and top with crumbled proscuitto.
- 6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced lengthwise and white/yolks separated
- 3 pickled sweet and spicy cherry peppers, finely chopped with seeds
- 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
- 1 large clove fresh garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Mix cherry peppers, grated garlic, white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, half (1/2 teaspoon) of the smoked paprika, and salt together well in a bowl by hand or in a food processor.
- To serve, put filling in a small zip top bag and snip the corner with scissors. Squeeze filling into each egg white half and sprinkle remaining paprika on top. Finish with chopped chives.
- 6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced lengthwise and white/yolks separated
- 3 tablespoons kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
- 1 large clove fresh garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 12 slices of kalamata olive, for garnish
- 12 thin slices of watermelon radish (or regular radish)
- 1 tablespoon chives, roughly chopped
- Mix kalamata olives, grated garlic, white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, and the cayenne pepper together well in a bowl by hand or in a food processor.
- To serve, put filling in a small zip top bag and snip the corner with scissors. Squeeze filling into each egg white half and top with a few pieces of chive, a slice of olive, and a slice of watermelon radish.
