Southern cooks have had a long love affair with deviled eggs. They are a simple appetizer or side dish suitable to picnics and holidays alike. Deviled eggs are found more frequently on picnic platters than at sophisticated dinners, but rules were meant to be broken.
It often seems as if there's only one good way to prepare a deviled egg: mash the egg yolk with mayonnaise, restuff the egg white and Voila! However, any cook worth their salt will tell you, there is more than one way to boil a pot of water.
Here's how to modernize menus by making an updated version of the traditional Southern comfort food, the deviled egg.
With tapas and small plates among the trendiest buzz in fine food and dining today, more cooks and home entertainers are looking for new takes on favorite old-fashioned appetizers and side dishes.
Here is where the humble deviled egg transforms itself. This protein packed finger food has plenty of potential to bring a little kick to the table as either an appetizer or a side dish.
Who hasn't eaten a great caesar salad? The combination of egg and anchovies with crispy romaine greens is an unforgettable classic. Creative cooks put that same winning combination in a deviled egg tapas plate that is sure to please all palates.
Caesar Deviled Eggs
- 1 cup of hand torn romaine, washed and drained
- 6 large organic eggs, hard boiled and peeled
- 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste
- 3 Tbs grated parmigiano reggiano
- 3 Tbs mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup of mixed black, red and green olives
Halve the hardboiled eggs and gently scoop out the egg yolks. Layer the romaine leaves on a small plate. Drizzle the romaine leaves with 1 Tbs of olive oil and the lemon juice, then arrange the halved egg whites in a circle, small ends facing out, leaving a small space in the center for the olives.
In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, mayonnaise, remaining olive oil, anchovy paste, and grated parmigiano reggiano. Season with salt and pepper, then mash well with a fork, until the mixture is a smooth, soft paste.
To fill the halved deviled eggs, use a disposable pastry bag fitted with a large star decorating tip and fill it with the egg yolk mixture. Using a circular motion, pipe the mixture into the deviled egg halves, finishing in the center of the deviled egg with a star.
Garnish plate with mixed olives and lightly dust deviled eggs with sweet paprika.
Serves six, two halves per person.
Mary Macrae Warren - footloose, food-loving travel queen in search of the best places to visit, the best travel tips and the best trip deals
