Fourth of July is a terrific holiday for the grillers among us. You could make yourself entirely satisfied with only the delicious items that spent time over flame or charcoal, but some of us are going to look around for few side dishes, too.
What’s better than a few deviled eggs?
Hard boiled eggs are great picnic food. They are cooked in the shell and can be transported in their shells. Just peel them, sprinkle salt and send them down the hatch.
You’ll be richly rewarded though if you take a little more time to turn hard boiled eggs into deviled eggs. I seldom ever, maybe never, have seen any languishing on a plate at the end of potlucks or parties where they were served.
With only a few moments more effort, you can fancy up deviled eggs to create a pretty platter and vary the flavors. Here are three variations, but they needn’t be the only ones. I’ve seen deviled eggs enhanced with chicken liver mousse, bacon, feta cheese, caviar and more. Let your imagination run a bit. Sometimes a dab of garnish will change the character of a deviled egg. Add a bit of tapenade, hot pepper paste, or a bit of herb pesto, basil or cilantro — all would do the trick.
The easiest thing to do is pick one variation and do all your eggs that way. It’s also easy to divide the yolk and mayonnaise mixture into thirds and add different seasonings to each portion. Add the seasonings to taste, and more mayonnaise if needed to keep the texture moist and smooth. Stuff the eggs and garnish, or not, to taste.
I garnished one with strips of smoked salmon, which I love. Slivers of thinly sliced ham or prosciutto would work beautifully, too.
The non-recipes which follow are meant to be a guideline for each of the variations. It works for as many eggs as you want to use and calls for you to cook to taste. Add the suggested seasoning a little at a time and taste, adjusting until it is just right.
A fancy deviled egg is really such an easy way to live it up.
Herby Deviled Eggs
Yield varies
Boiled eggs, halved and yolks removed
Mayonnaise
Crumbled dried or finely chopped fresh dill leaves
Fresh chives, finely chopped
Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Dash of garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1. Mash the yolks and mix in enough mayonnaise to get a smooth consistency.
2. Mix in the herbs, and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Spoon or pipe the mixer into the cavity of the egg whites.
4. Garnish with a sprig of dill or parsley.
Curried Deviled Eggs
Yield varies
Boiled eggs, halved and yolks removed
Mayonnaise
Curry powder
Salt and pepper
Chutney
1. Mash the yolks and mix in enough mayonnaise to get a smooth consistency.
2. Sprinkle a little curry powder on the mashed yolks, mix well, taste and add more to taste if needed.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spoon or pipe the mixer into the cavity of the egg whites.
5. Garnish with a tiny dab of chutney.
Smoked Paprika Deviled Eggs
Yield varies
Boiled eggs, halved and yolks removed
Mayonnaise
Smoked paprika powder
Salt and pepper
Slivers of smoked salmon, prosciutto or ham
1. Mash the yolks and mix in enough mayonnaise to get a smooth consistency.
2. Sprinkle a little smoked paprika powder on the mashed yolks, mix well, taste and add more to taste if needed.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spoon or pipe the mixer into the cavity of the egg whites.
5. Garnish with slivers of smoked salmon, prosciutto or ham.