This time of year is our peak egg consumption. Much of our egg eating is in the form of egg salad or deviled eggs, probably largely because those are both cold egg dishes and are appetizing on hot afternoons. As the weather begins to change, we will likely replace those dishes with quiche and frittata. As the season changes, the egg production of our hens will slow to a trickle and we will consume fewer eggs.
As we continue in our egg bounty, mom has been going to town on egg dishes. Here she describes her deviled egg secrets in video classic (filmed with a camera invented by pilgrims…). Watch the video and read the recipe below. Below the recipe you’ll find her tips on boiling and peeling eggs.
Mom writes:
Deviled eggs are one of the finest make-ahead foods you can find. Refrigerated in an airtight container, they will last 5-7 days. Add them to your composed salad plates, lunch boxes; use them as a nutritious snack or as a party platter.
Deviled Egg Ingredients
Serves: #6-8
1 dozen shelled hard boiled eggs
½ cup good quality mayonnaise (homemade is superb)
A sprinkle of paprika or your favorite spice blend (for color and flavor on the finished egg)
Steps
Slice each egg in half and carefully remove the yolks to a bowl. If one or more of the whites falls apart, simply toss it in with the yolks for mashing. No one will be the wiser!
Arrange the whites on a platter or in the storage container of your choice. It’s best to start out with a container that requires the whites to be touching. That way, they won’t slide around and get messy when you move the container in and out of the refrigerator.
Mash the yolks. I like to use a pastry blender for this — it is quick and efficient.
Make a well in the mashed egg yolks to receive the wet ingredients.
Into that well place the mayonnaise, mustard and Tamari sauce. Mix them together before incorporating into the larger mass of yolks.
Mix all well.
Taste. You are checking for flavor and texture. You may want more liquid. If so, add yogurt or milk. You may want more salt or mustard. Add sparingly and taste. You can always add more, so don’t rush the process.
Spoon the yolk mixture into the white shells and garnish with a sprinkling of paprika or your favorite spice blend.
Refrigerate.
Tips for Hard Boiling Eggs
For many folks, hard boiling eggs happens only at Easter…for the big hunt. And most of those eggs end up in the dumpster. What a pity! Eggs are such a reliable and inexpensive protein, we need to use them more efficiently. The biggest frustration with hard boiled eggs is that they often don’t peel easily and about one quarter of the white gets tossed with the shells. This can be avoided. Follow these steps for 99% success.
Select older eggs. If you raise your own, you can be accurate about this. Eggs that have been in the frig for two weeks or more are good candidates for boiling. With a fresh egg, the membrane just inside the shell will NOT let go of the white. Therein lies the problem!
Select a pot that will hold the eggs in a single layer. This insures more uniform cooking.
Fill the pot with enough water to fully cover the eggs. More is better than less.
Bring water to a full boil and then lower the eggs one at a time using a long-handled slotted spoon. Be gentle. The eggs can crack, releasing a stream of eggs white into the water. Save that adventure for Chinese egg flower soup.
Turn the heat to simmer and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Tote the pot to the sink (carefully) and drain out the hot water.
Turn on the cold faucet and let the cold water run over the eggs for a couple of minutes. The temperature change helps to “shock” the egg shell and membrane into releasing the egg.
Crack the egg on the edge of the sink: gently, all around.
Peel the egg under running water. The water facilitates the shelling process and rinses off those microscopic bits of shell that remain after peeling.
Enjoy!
Deviled Egg Variations
The only limit to deviled egg variations is our imagination. When you make deviled eggs and want to pile the filling high into the shell, it always helps to add another ingredient to the yolk mixture just to ensure that you have plenty to heap on each egg. Herbs and spices work well. Canned seafood is one of our family favorites. Add anything that sounds good and give it a try. Here are some ideas:
Minced black or green olives
Minced fresh chives
Crumbled cottage cheese
Shredded crab
Finely minced clams
Any canned seafood you like
More Deviled Egg Variations
Lemon, Horseradish, and Bacon Deviled Eggs (here) from The Nourishing Gourmet
Curried Deviled Eggs (here) from Divine Health from the Inside Out
Bacon and Balsamic Deviled Eggs (here) from Primally Inspired
Jalapeno Bacon Deviled Eggs (here) from Real Food Girl Unmodified
Deviled Eggs with Sprouts and Bacon (here) from The Skinny Pear
Tarragon, Chive, and Caper Deviled Eggs (here) at Coconut and Lime
Deviled Eggs with Smoked Paprika (here) from Honey, Ghee, and Me
Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs (here) from Bell’alimento
This time of year is our peak egg consumption. Much of our egg eating is in the form of egg salad or deviled eggs, probably largely because those are both cold egg dishes and are appetizing on hot afternoons. As the weather begins to change, we will likely replace those dishes with quiche and frittata. As the season changes, the egg production of our hens will slow to a trickle and we will consume fewer eggs.
Serves: #6-8
For many folks, hard boiling eggs happens only at Easter…for the big hunt. And most of those eggs end up in the dumpster. What a pity! Eggs are such a reliable and inexpensive protein, we need to use them more efficiently. The biggest frustration with hard boiled eggs is that they often don’t peel easily and about one quarter of the white gets tossed with the shells. This can be avoided. Follow these steps for 99% success.
The only limit to deviled egg variations is our imagination. When you make deviled eggs and want to pile the filling high into the shell, it always helps to add another ingredient to the yolk mixture just to ensure that you have plenty to heap on each egg. Herbs and spices work well. Canned seafood is one of our family favorites. Add anything that sounds good and give it a try. Here are some ideas: