My Classic Deviled Eggs

Just like Mother Nature, my blog has been dormant through the winter months, but as the green leaves and flowers are springing back to life, so too are my creative juices.  With an Easter celebration to prepare for tomorrow, I am inspired to share my classic deviled egg recipe.

While deviled eggs are a perennial favorite, I am fixated on these tasty bites more than ever this year.  Most likely this is due to the fact that I had nary a one last Easter.  There is a long, sad story behind this, but I will spare you the details, for this is a blog about fresh and new, rather than sadness and regret. So, let's move on...

I have made many iterations of deviled eggs during my culinary career.  There have been "fancy" eggs topped with caviar and smoked salmon, as well as "healthier" eggs that use fat free Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise, and let's not forget my "French" eggs with country dijon and tarragon.  All of these recipes were delicious and served the purposed for which they were intended, but I always go back to my classic deviled egg recipe to accompany my Easter meal.

I have very strong opinions about the ingredients used in this recipe.  The absolute, must haves are as follows:  Duke's mayonnaise, Mt. Olive sweet and dill relish, French's yellow mustard and of course large organic eggs.  I flip flop on the garnish depending on my mood.  Sometimes it's paprika, other times it is fresh dill or chives. Today I opted for a combo of dill and chives.  It's a gray day here in Atlanta, and the fresh herbs made me happy!

I am looking forward to all that is new and fresh this spring, starting with a platter of my classic deviled eggs that I plan on sharing with my family and friends on Easter Sunday.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe and always remember to make every plate something to be passionate about!

My Classic Deviled Eggs:

1 dozen large, organic eggs

Cold water

Filling:

Hard cooked yolks of 12 eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon dill relish + 1 teaspoon of the liquid

1 tablespoon sweet relish + 1 teaspoon of the liquid

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Garnishes:

Chopped fresh dill or chives

Paprika

Method:

Hard Boiled Eggs:

Gently place the eggs in a large sauce pan or dutch oven and cover by two inches with cold water.  Bring to a rolling boil on the stovetop.  Boil for one minute, then cover the pan and remove from the heat.  Set a timer for 12 minutes.  When timer goes off, drain the eggs and rinse for several minutes under cold running water, until the eggs are cool to the touch. Crack the eggs on one end and remove the shells.  I like to use a teaspoon to help facilitate the shell removal, as shown in the photo below.

Cut the eggs in half and place the yolks in a bowl.  Reserve the whites for filling later.

Filling:

Using a potato masher or the back of a fork, mash the yolks until smooth.  Next, add the mayonnaise, mustard and relishes.  Stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Fill the egg white halves with the yolk mixture with a spoon or alternately, place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large tip, and pipe into the whites.