Classic deviled eggs are always a hit. Perfect the master recipe, then take your game to fiendish heights with these nine variations.
Deviled Eggs Recipe
Ingredients
12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric or curry powder Paprika or minced chives, for garnish
Instructions
Slice eggs in half lengthwise, remove the yolks to a bowl and set the whites aside. (Pro black magic tip: You can cut a sliver off the base of each egg white so it sits upright on a platter.) Mash the yolks, then add mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, dry mustard, cayenne and turmeric; mash until smooth. Add salt to taste. Pipe or spoon mixture into egg whites and refrigerate up to 24 hours, until ready to serve. Garnish just before serving. Makes 24.
Wine Pairing
Balletto 2021 Teresa’s Unoaked Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)
Deviled eggs are rich and creamy, with a hint of acid and spice. Balance that against a zippy wine with a hint of richness and cream like this brisk Chardonnay that has considerable structure despite the lack of oak. Mouthwatering citrus, Asian pear and stone fruit flavors beautifully offset the pungent mustard and spice notes of the eggs.
More Egg-cellent Ideas
Shellfish: Replace dry mustard and cayenne with 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill. Top with sliced poached shrimp, raw or fried oysters, raw scallop rounds, crab meat or lobes of uni (sea urchin).
Caviar: Salt filling very lightly and top each egg with caviar for an ovo inception.
Salmon: Salt filling very lightly. Mince lox (or other cured salmon) and arrange decoratively on top; optionally, garnish with salmon or trout roe.
Anchovy: Drape one white anchovy (aka boquerón) over each egg. Also, try very thin-sliced raw fatty tuna in place of the anchovy.
Pickled: Add 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish to the filling and garnish with a tiny dollop of relish.
Avocado: Substitute mashed avocado for the mayonnaise and replace vinegar with 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice. Garnish with cilantro leaves or thinsliced jalapeño.
Crunchy: Break chicharrónes (pork rinds) into shards and poke into the filling, so only an edge of each shard makes contact with the filling. Serve immediately.
Egg-on-Egg: Top each deviled egg with a quail egg that’s been fried in an oiled nonstick skillet (use a sharp paring knife to carefully crack the tiny eggs).
Korean: Reduce mayo by 1 tablespoon and add 1 tablespoon gochujang (see page 22 for further pairing advice) and 1 tablespoon minced kimchi (the filling probably won’t need additional salt).
