Deviled Eggs

Special occasions call for deviled eggs. It seems that every family has an immutable deviled egg recipe with some flavor component that, if missing, ruins the experience. My brother's nuclear family calls for onions and horseradish in theirs which is odd because horseradish was never part of my mom's recipe. My mom did include the onion though with which my wife cannot abide.

My brother's mother in law offered to make their celebratory eggs once and was shooed out of the kitchen after she asked where the sugar and ketchup were.

2 things that will ruin deviled eggs no matter what your taste are buying them at the store or overcooking the eggs and not cooling them down quickly. Overcooked eggs are sulfurous, green about the yolk and rubbery like a pencil eraser.

Here is how we do it in our nuclear family;

Deviled Eggs

eggs
mayonnaise
prepared mustard
salt
smoked paprika (new tradition!)

Place the eggs in a medium sauce pan and add cold water to cover. Place pan over high heat and bring to a full boil. Remove from heat, cover and leave them be for 15 minutes. Immediately cool under cold running water. I combine this task with watering our crape myrtle because I am that way.

Shell the eggs, cut in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks to a small bowl while staging the halves of whites on a plate.

Mash the yolks with a fork. Stir in mayo, mustard and salt to taste. I start with a tablespoon or so mayo, teaspoon or so mustard and a pinch of salt. When the yolks are creamy and delicious, spoon them back into the whites and sprinkle with a little smoked paprika.

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