RICHMOND, Va. -- Your cookouts will never be the same after trying these “eggcellent” creations. Today, Mary Rapoport of the Virginia Egg Council stopped by to share a few great ways to take your deviled eggs to the next level. For more information and more great recipes visit the Virginia Egg Council website.
#1 Hard boil eggs the new way – Steam them!
Place one-inch water in a saucepan with a vegetable steamer inside. Bring to a simmer and place eggs in the steamer basket. Cover and let steam for about ten minutes for size large eggs. Immediately place in a bowl of ice water, cracking eggshells as you do. Let sit for twenty minutes and the shells should slide right off. Store in an airtight container, refrigerate, and enjoy within a few days. Or leave shells on, refrigerate, and enjoy within one week.
#2 Plan to cook extra eggs
If the platter holds twelve, cook at least seven eggs. A few whites may break or aren’t that sturdy plus the extra yolks make for a fuller and more attractive filling.
#3 Slice eggs in half and remove yolks
Slice with a smooth-edged knife – serrated edged knives leave a mark on the egg whites. Mash yolks in a zip-lock bag until pulverized or blend in a small food processor. Add the traditional mayo, sweet pickle relish, and mustard, and blend. Snip off the corner of bag and squeeze contents into empty whites.
#4 The filling is not an exact science – some eggs will be larger than others or some yolks may be cooked dryer so you may need more moistness and flavor for every batch you make - always taste before filling and adjust.
#5 Experiment with fillings – chicken, tuna, or shrimp salad/ pimiento cheese/ guacamole/ hummus/ or even potato salad can stand in for the typical yolk filling for various flavors and colors on the platter.
#6 Garnish like the pros – The old stand-by, paprika, is fine, but try parsley (chopped or sprigs), red or green pepper slices, olive slices, shrimp, caviar, etc.
Pimiento Cheese Devils Tasty Avocado or Red Pepper Hummus Devils
Hard boiled eggs, sliced in half Hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half
Pimiento Cheese Guacamole or Red Pepper Hummus
Chives Red Bell pepper
Remove yolks or leave. With a small melon ball scoop Remove yolks or leave. With a small melon scoop,
place a scoop of pimiento cheese in the empty egg whites place a scoop of guac or hummus in empty egg whites
or right on top of the yolk. Add a snip of fresh chive. or on top of yolks. Garnish with a small pepper triangle.
Super Easy and Flavorful Basic Devils Salad Stuffed Devils
Hard boiled eggs, sliced in half Hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half
Horseradish mustard prepared protein salads (tuna, chicken, etc.)
Mayonnaise Scoop filling on top of yolk or into whites/garnish.
Place yolks in a zip top plastic bag and crush into a powder.
(Extra yolks make a fuller filling). Add equal amounts of mustard and mayonnaise (begin with 1 tsp. each per egg) and massage in bag to blend well. Squeeze to one corner; snip off edge; squeeze out into the whites. Garnish.
