DEVILED EGGS 
 

Deviled Eggs have always been a hit, but right now they are hot! Restaurants all over town are putting their spin on this classic. Here are two of my takes; one with a Spanish flair and one with the classic pairing of eggs and truffle.

After making these recipes, try your hand at developing your own recipe. Maybe combining sour cream or cream fraiche with the mayonnaise, vinegar in place of mustard and a fresh herb blend of your choice. Remember to finish with a garnish for that upscale look. 
 

Roasted Red Pepper Deviled Eggs
Yield: 12  
 

Ingredients 

6 hard boiled eggs
6 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon roasted red pepper puree
1/4-1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
salt and pepper
smoked paprika 

To make the red pepper puree, place a canned or home roasted, peeled and seeded red pepper in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Put the puree in a strainer and place over a bowl and allow the excess moisture to drain off. If too much moisture is left in the puree, the deviled egg mixture will have a wet consistency. 

Peel the eggs, cut in half lengthwise, remove the yolk and place in a bowl. Mash the yolk with the back of a fork until smooth or push through a sieve. Add the mayonnaise, red pepper puree, the lesser amount of sherry vinegar and mix. If the yolk mixture is too thick, add a little more of the red pepper puree to achieve the desired consistency. Taste to determine if more vinegar is required, and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Place the egg white halves on a plate and fill with the yolk mixture. A piping bag makes the filling look attractive and can come in handy if you have a large number of eggs to fill. When done, lightly dust the eggs with smoked paprika. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

Leftover deviled eggs can be refrigerated and eaten the next day, but are best the day they are made. 

 

Truffled Deviled Eggs
Yield: 12 
 

Ingredients 

6 hard boiled eggs
1/2-3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoon truffle oil
pinch cayenne pepper
salt
chives, minced

Peel the eggs, cut in half lengthwise, remove the yolk and place in a bowl. Mash the yolk with the back of a fork until smooth or push through a sieve. Add the lesser amount of mayonnaise, truffle oil, and pinch of cayenne pepper and than mix. If the yolk mixture is too thick, add more mayonnaise to achieve the desired consistency. Taste and add salt if needed or more cayenne pepper if desired.

Place the egg white halves on a plate and fill with the yolk mixture. A piping bag makes the filling look attractive and can come in handy if you have a large number of eggs to fill. When done, sprinkle a small amount of the chives over the yolk mixture. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Leftover deviled eggs can be refrigerated and eaten the next day, but are best the day they are made. 
 

Tip: When cutting the hard boiled eggs in half, have a tall glass of warm water and a clean towel in your work area. After cutting each egg in half and removing the yolk, dip the knife in the water and than dry on the towel. This will remove the yolk from the knife and keep the whites of the eggs clean when you cut them in half. 
 

Recipe by David Musial