Deviled Eggs Rolling With Options

Although my girls are grown and out of the house, I still stare longingly at cartons of pastel-colored eggs at Easter and reminisce about all the fun we had decorating them.

I also think about how much I love deviled eggs. Making them for any occasion is always a treat.

I don't make deviled eggs from a recipe. When I was growing up, I watched my mother make them. Her formula included French's mustard, which makes for a creamy dollop of vibrant yellow yolk. She always finished with a generous dusting of paprika on top.

Although I still like Mom's version, I confess to straying from tradition and playing scientist by creating new formulas for these tasty little devils. I have experimented with such condiments as dill, cilantro, chives, capers, olives, jalapenos and curry.

I think most cooks have a special blend, but mayonnaise and mustard seem to be almost universal. The principle remains the same no matter what your add-ins.

To hard-boil eggs, place them in a small pot and cover with an inch of water and bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, remove the pot from the heat, cover it and let it stand off the heat for 10 minutes. Then, gently place the eggs into a bowl of ice water. Let them sit for five minutes. This eliminates the green circle around the yolk and produces a fluffier hard-cooked egg.

If you're hiding eggs or using them as a centerpiece, the U.S. Department of Agriculture rule for perishable foods, including eggs, is no more than two hours at room temperature. Decorated, cooked eggs should stay fresh for a week in the refrigerator.

Let me share how I peel eggs. Sometimes the shell comes off perfectly, but most times, it's a mess. This technique might make your egg-peeling hassles easier:

Crack the shell lightly all around by rolling it on the counter top. Gently keep rolling until the shell is completely fractured. Carefully start peeling the shell from the large end, removing the shell in small pieces or strips. Rinse the egg to remove bits of shell.

Halve the hard-cooked eggs lengthwise with a thin-bladed knife, wiping the blade clean after each slice. Remove the yolks carefully.

Mash the barely firm yolks with a fork, adding chopped seasonings, flavorings and mayonnaise.

Toppings can get fancy. How about deviled eggs crowned with caviar, smoked salmon, anchovies, baby shrimp, shards of bacon or fine crispy bread crumbs?

A bed of decorative lettuce leaves or alfalfa sprouts will keep the eggs from sliding around a serving platter. I recently used fresh, flat-leaf parsley from my neighbor's large and healthy parsley plant.

I really like this recipe for deviled eggs. It calls for whole mustard seeds that have been lightly toasted and then crushed. Devoured in a few bites, these devils are robust in flavor.

DEVILED FARM BARN EGGS

1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds

4 large, hard-boiled eggs

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground pepper taste

In a small skillet set over medium-high heat, toast the mustard seeds until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove them to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and crush them coarsely. Set aside. Peel the eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks into a small bowl. Add the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon of the salt, a few grinds of the pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the crushed mustard seed. Mix well. Taste and add more salt and mustard seed as desired. Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.

Source: Adapted from "Cooking with Shelburne Farms" by Melissa Pasanen and Rick Gencarelli (2007)