One might believe a good deviled egg shines in its simplicity and requires nothing else to achieve perfection. We beg to differ.
Sure, simple, Southern-style deviled eggs are swell on their own, but add a sliver of crispy Serrano on top, a dusting of Cajun spices and dill on the egg white halves and you’ve got deviled eggs that are sublime.
These are deviled eggs, as created by West Palm Beach Chef Lindsay Autry, of The Regional Kitchen & Public House.
SOUTHERN-STYLE HERBED DEVILED EGGS
In this recipe, Chef Lindsay Autry takes inspiration from her grandmother’s deviled eggs.
Makes 24 deviled eggs
12 whole eggs, boiled and peeled
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s or Hellmann’s)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped gherkins or dill relish
For herb crust:
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning or any Cajun spice blend
1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
For crispy topping:
3 to 4 slices Serrano ham or prosciutto
Prepare the eggs:
1. Cut boiled eggs in half lengthwise, remove the yolks and place them in a fine sieve over a small mixing bowl.
2. Force the egg yolks through the sieve into the mixing bowl, creating a fine powder. (Alternatively, you can mash the yolks with a fork.)
3. To the mixing bowl, add mustard, mayonnaise and optional cayenne and mix well. Adjust seasoning, and fold in the chopped gherkins or dill relish. Set aside.
4. Gently wipe out the egg whites with a damp paper towel to remove any of the leftover yolks.
To crust the eggs:
1. In a small bowl, mix the Old Bay or Cajun seasoning together with the chopped fresh dill. Spread mix on a plate.
2. Place each egg white half, cut side-down on the spice blend to crust the tops. Set aside.
Crisp the topping:
Place slices of ham or prosciutto in a 250F degree oven for 30 minutes to crisp. Set aside.
To fill the eggs:
1. Place the yolk mixture in a piping bag or a Ziploc bag. (If using a plastic bag, snip off a lower corner for piping.)
2. Pipe the mixture into the crusted egg whites. If using a simple plastic bag without a fancy pastry tip, pipe the filling in a zigzag motion for added flair.
3. Break crispy ham or prosciutto slices into bite-size pieces and place them atop filled deviled eggs.
GIVE YOUR EASTER EGGS A POP OF NATURAL COLOR
Here’s a natural way to dye your Easter eggs:
Chef Lindsay Autry soaks hardboiled and peeled eggs in natural ‘dye’ liquids that take their color from beets and turmeric.
After 3 hours of soaking, the eggs turn brilliant hues.
Like this:
