Every once in a while.
There are dishes on my shelves and tucked away in the hutch that I love dearly. Large, shallow serving bowls show off dishes beautifully. My chestnut-colored, lions-head bowls make French onion soup and beef stew all the more hearty and rich. A hand-made wooden salad bowl is a necessity.
There are others dishes that I think of as unnecessary, kitschy throwbacks to Tupperware parties and recipes created for the heavily saturated illustrations of the 1960's and and photos of the 1970's. The chip and dip, the punch bowl and, of course, the deviled egg plate.
However, every once in a while the sheer practicality of those serving pieces becomes apparent and at no time more than right after Easter when, with a fridge-full of hard boiled eggs I cut them in half to devil them. Our former roommate Heather Bourk has a beautiful one, as does my friend Eric Wahl, of course. However, the holiday passes quickly and I forget this need again until the following year. It just might be time to go shopping.
Deviled eggs
Makes 12 pieces
No, this isn't a major reinvention, but it is proof that simple, good quality ingredients, prepared well, can be transcendent. Home made mayonnaise is simple and delicious and the sharp note of cornichon pickle a perfect balance to the rich egg.
Note: this recipe makes extra mayo. Use it for sandwiches, mix it with horseradish and serve it on roast beef or spread a little over white fish with some slivered onion and fresh herbs for foil-baked fish.
Ingredients:
8 raw eggs
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
neutral flavored oil like canola, sunflower, grapeseed or avocado
2-3 cornichon pickles, thinly sliced on the bias
Directions:
Hard boil eggs: Place 6 eggs in a pan of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as it reached a boil, turn off heat and leave in pan covered for 10 minutes. At the 10 minute mark remove eggs from water and transfer to an iceboat - a bowl filled with half ice and half water. After 10 minutes remove eggs and reserve. This can be done a day or two ahead of time.
Make mayonnaise by hand: Separate remaining 2 eggs and place yolks in a bowl. Reserve whites for another use. Whisk briskly for 30 seconds. Add 2 tsp lemon juice and mustard. Sprinkle garlic with salt and mash into a paste with the flat side of your knife. Add half of garlic to the bowl, season with black pepper and whisk together. Starting a few drops at a time and building to a thin stream, add oil while whisking vigorously until mayonnaise has come together with soft peaks that remain elevated after whisking. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, lemon juice and garlic as needed.
Make mayonnaise in a food processor: Separate remaining 2 eggs and place yolks in bowl of food processor. Reserve whites for another use. Turn on for 20-30 seconds. Add 2 tsp lemon juice and mustard. Sprinkle garlic with salt and mash into a paste with the flat side of your knife. Add half of garlic to the bowl, season with black pepper. Turn on food processor. Starting a few drops at a time and building to a thin stream, add oil while food processor is running until mayonnaise has come together with soft peaks that remain elevated after turning off the motor. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, lemon juice and garlic as needed.
Fill eggs: Cut hardboiled eggs in half and remove yolks. Place in medium bowl with 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Mash together with a fork until smooth. Thin with additional mayo if needed and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plastic freezer bag. Snip a 1/4" hole in one corner and use to pipe egg filling back into hard-boiled egg halves. Top with a sliver of cornichon to serve.
TIP: Cornichon are small, sharp, vinegary, French pickles. Maille, a wonderful French brand, is usually available with jarred pickles and olives in the salad dressing aisle of the grocery store.Simple hard boiled eggs with homemade mayonnaise and French cornichon pickles are simple perfection.
