Deviled Eggs

Mark and I both grew up with a lot of deviled eggs. Even now, when we go home for big family gatherings, it is a guarantee that there will be a couple of variations waiting at the buffet.

Our favorite type is one with a little heat, a little crunch, and a little tang. Pieces of egg yolk should still be visible under the sprinkle of paprika. Texture and tang are key for a memorable deviled egg.

• DEVILED EGGS
• Servings: 12
• Difficulty: Easy

WHAT YOU NEED	WHAT TO DO	WHY
Tap water 6 large eggs with no cracks, straight from the refrigerator	Insert a steaming rack into a tri-ply pan tall enough to accommodate the rack plus eggs; add 1 inch of water. Cover and bring to the boil over high heat. With a pair of tongs, arrange eggs across rack at least 1 inch apart. Promptly cover to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium, where steam continues to escape from the lid.	Adding cold eggs to a preheated environment separates shells from eggs, making them easy to peel. Trapping steam creates an even cooking environment.
	Cook 13-16 minutes. Using the tongs, transfer eggs to a 3-quart bowl; run under cool tap water just until cool enough to handle (30-60 seconds). Promptly peel; set aside.	A 13-16 minute cooking time produces a firm yolk. Peeling eggs while they are still warm produces flawless exteriors and accelerates cooling.
2 tablespoons plain whole milk yogurt 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, stone or coarsely ground 2 teaspoons white vinegar 1 teaspoon hot horseradish ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1/32 teaspoon celery seed	Prepare the dressing. Add all to a 1-quart bowl and whisk vigorously.	Yogurt lightens the dressing. White vinegar gives a distinctive “tang.”
2 tablespoons finely diced onion	Add to dressing. Tip: With onion on its side, cut off and discard stem and root. Cut in half from pole to pole; discard dry or tough layers. Place cut sides down and slice parallel to the equator to ⅛ inch, holding the pieces together as you work. Cut across slices to dice.	Finely diced onion adds nice texture and flavor. Holding slices together reduces exposure to eye-irritants.
2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper 2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeño	Add 1 tablespoon of each to the dressing; reserve remaining for garnishing. Tip: Lay a pepper on the workspace; cut off a side, staying far enough out to avoid the pale membrane and seeds. Repeat all the way around. Cut ⅛-inch slices; cut across slices to finely dice. For the jalapeño, wear plastic gloves.	Red bell pepper is beautiful and adds a nice texture. Flat pepper pieces are easy to dice. Hot pepper oils burn unprotected skin, and the seeds are especially hot.
	Slice each peeled egg in half lengthwise. Pop yolks into dressing; gently cut in with a fork, leaving yolk pieces roughly the same size as the finely diced vegetables. Gently fold until uniformly distributed. With a 1-inch ice cream scoop or a pastry bag, dispense filling into egg white cavities.	A little egg yolk texture offers a nice contrast to the crunchy vegetables.
Paprika	Decorate tops with paprika and reserved peppers.

TO USE A PASTRY BAG: Cut off the tip of a disposable pastry bag or cut one corner from a sturdy sandwich bag. Load with egg mixture; twist top of the bag to close. Gently squeeze bag to start the flow while moving in a tight circular motion to fill egg white cavities. This is a prime opportunity for experimentation. If you’re not satisfied, simply scoop up the filling and try again.

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