Champagne and Cornflakes

Perfect Deviled Eggs

Poor Sharon. Whenever we play cards, we bring food. We all bring different foods each time, but we always demand, er, ask Sharon to bring her Deviled Eggs. That’s because Sharon makes perfect Deviled Eggs.

I’m sure she’d love to make something else, and of course she’s welcome to. As long as she brings the Deviled Eggs.

From start to finish, these eggs are excellent. Perfectly cooked, the whites are firm yet tender to the bite. The yolk filling is creamy, almost silky, with a little heat that kicks in on the back of the palate. And she fills the eggs with a special spritzing tube that creates a lovely swirl on top. They’re the ultimate finger food, a neat little package designed to be downed  in one bite.

And I’m a happy girl because Sharon gave me her recipe on Saturday.

Deviled Eggs are very chic right now. My dear, all the best restaurants are serving them! I don’t know if it’s the current comfort food zeitgeist, but you can’t swing a martini glass without knocking over a rack of Deviled Eggs. Well, I don’t care how chic they are, our card group has always loved these eggs, going back 15 years now. I guess that makes them Retro Chic, right?

Deviled Eggs can be served as is, simple and elegant, or garnished with various toppings. Sharon has presented the eggs topped with capers, chopped tomato, or olives. I’ve seen some restaurants go all out and add caviar, smoked fish, or crab. Any way they’re served, I’m happy to eat them.

How do you make the perfect Deviled Eggs? Sharon gave me a few tips, starting with perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs.

Hard Boiled Eggs

1 dozen large eggs
1 Tbs. salt

Put the cold eggs in a saucepan in a single layer. Sprinkle the salt on top of the eggs and pour in cold water to cover the eggs. Bring the pot to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let sit, covered for 20 minutes.

Pour off hot water and cover the eggs with cold water. Let sit about 10 seconds, then pour it off. Pour more cold water on, letting the water continue to pour, until eggs cool down. Turn the water off, but keep the eggs in cold water. Take eggs out one at a time and peel.

Halved whites

Sharon’s Deviled Eggs

12 large hard boiled eggs, peeled

2/3 C mayonnaise
1 Tbs wet yellow mustard
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt

Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks to a bowl. Crush the yolks with your fingers until they’re smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients to the yolks and whisk them all together. Sharon says you can use a mixer, but be sure to finish the blending with a fork so you can ensure that everything is evenly mixed.

Filling the eggs

Pipe or spoon the yolk mixture back into the egg white halves. Garnish as you wish and serve. If our experience is of any use, stand back, because everyone will descend on the platter like ravening hoards and people will take two or three eggs at a time to ensure they get their share.