This Week at the Market: Eggs

First, let me start by being completely honest: I didn’t make it to the farmer’s market last Saturday. My husband, Michael, and I went to Wichita to visit his son and daughter in-law. And now we are going through market withdrawal missing the fresh tomatoes, strawberries, and bread.

However, I did have a dozen eggs in the refrigerator purchased when I was at the market the week before, which makes them perfect for deviled eggs since the worst thing a cook can do is use fresh eggs for this recipe. What is the biggest complaint everyone has about making deviled eggs? Peeling the eggs, right? Don’t you hate when the shell comes off taking half of the white with it? I tried every trick available to keep this from happening. The answer is to use older eggs. The peel comes right off.

To boil the eggs, place them in a pan of cold water and then bring the water to a boil. Let them boil for 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat, pop on the lid, and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Then drain off the hot water and add cold water and ice to cool off the eggs.

I came up with a basic egg salad recipe to which you can add any flavorful ingredients you enjoy. Of course, the best thing about deviled eggs is you can adjust the recipe to fit your taste: Add more mayonnaise, or less. Use Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise. (Michael’s favorite.) Use Dijon mustard or yellow. It all depends on what you enjoy.

Basic Deviled Eggs

12 hard-boiled eggs

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the eggs in half and place the yolks into a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.

 
Here are some variations to try:

Michael’s Deviled Eggs

Basic Deviled Eggs recipe
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

Make the Basic Deviled Eggs recipe. Add the remaining ingredients to the egg yolk mixture. Fill the eggs and chill until serving.

(In the past, I would substitute Miracle Whip and yellow mustard for the mayo and Dijon mustard in this recipe since it was how Michael said he liked them. However, this time I made them using the basic recipe and he said they tasted great. So, shhhh, don’t tell him!)

Chevre and Herb Deviled Eggs

This recipe was inspired by one I saw on Chow.com and Ina Garten’s Herbed-Baked Eggs.

Basic Deviled Eggs recipe

2 tablespoons chevre (goat cheese)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic

Make the Basic Deviled Eggs recipe. Add the remaining ingredients to the egg yolk mixture. Fill the eggs and chill until serving.

Green Chili Deviled Eggs

Basic Deviled Eggs recipe

4 teaspoons canned green chilies
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salsa, for garnish

Make the Basic Deviled Eggs recipe. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the salsa to the egg yolk mixture. Fill the eggs, top with salsa, and chill until serving.

Spicy Deviled Eggs

Basic Deviled Eggs recipe

1 tablespoon grated onion
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
Cayenne pepper, for garnish

Make the Basic Deviled Eggs recipe. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the cayenne pepper to the egg yolk mixture. Fill the eggs, sprinkle cayenne pepper on top, and chill until serving.

Bacon and Cheese Deviled Eggs

Basic Deviled Eggs recipe

4 strips bacon, fried to crispy and crumbled
2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar
1 to 2 tablespoons sour cream, to taste
Crumbled bacon and grated cheese, for garnish

Make the Basic Deviled Eggs recipe. Add the remaining ingredients to the egg yolk mixture. Fill the eggs and chill until serving.