I have a confession that may sound odd poised next to this headline: I do not like deviled eggs. In fact, the only kind of eggs I can say with absolute certainty that I do enjoy are scrambled eggs with lots of cheese and spices.
I know that makes me the odd woman out, seeing as how deviled eggs are a staple of Southern get-togethers and holiday feasts everywhere. I know this because when we all pile into my parents' house for seasonal celebrations - "all" being my nine siblings ranging in age from 9 to 34, my sister-in-law and her and my brother's two young kids - I am the only one who lets the plate pass. Even my eldest sisters are fans, despite one nearly only otherwise eating plain cheeseburgers and the other having an unfathomable disdain for cheesecake (true story). The iconic side dish even has its own holiday: National Deviled Egg Day, celebrated on Nov. 2.
While I could see deviled eggs being Satan's favorite food, their name actually refers to the culinary term "deviling." References to deviling first popped up in Britain in the 18th century to describe dishes including spicy ingredients - 14 centuries after the Romans hatched the trend of serving boiled, seasoned eggs at feasts. A collection of Roman recipes from the 4th or 5th century A.D. includes recipes for dressed-up boiled eggs.
Recognizing that my dislike will never change my family's holiday menu, I decided to try and find some deviled egg recipes that actually sound appealing to me. Cheese? Check. Spice? Absolutely. After all, if you can't beat 'em, devil 'em and join 'em.
AVOCADO & BACON DEVILED EGGS
Prep: 20 minutes | Ready in: 20 minutes | Servings: 12
Recipe and photo courtesy of allrecipes.com
What you need:
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
3 slices cooked turkey bacon, chopped, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt to taste
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (optional)
1 dash hot sauce, or to taste (optional)
What you do:
1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop egg yolks into a bowl. Add avocado, 2/3 of chopped turkey bacon, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt. Mash egg yolk mixture until filling is evenly combined.
2. Spoon filling into a piping bag or plastic bag with a snipped corner. Pipe filling into each egg white.
3. Top with turkey bacon, jalapeno slice and dash of hot sauce.
BLUE CHEESE BACON DEVILED EGGS
Prep: 30 minutes | Ready in: 1 hour, 35 minutes | Servings: 12
Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker
What you need:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (1 ounce)
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions (1 medium)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
What you do:
1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Slip yolks into medium bowl; mash with fork until smooth.
2. Stir mayonnaise, cheese, onion, mustard, pepper and salt into yolks.
3. Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg white halves. Sprinkle with bacon. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
JAPANESE WASABI DEVILED EGGS
Prep: 20 minutes | Ready in: 50 minutes | Servings: 16
Recipe and photo courtesy of allrecipes.com
What you need:
8 eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced green onions
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi paste
Coarse salt to taste
1/2 cup fresh pea shoots, or as needed
16 pickled ginger slices
What you do:
1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Slip yolks into small bowl; mash with fork until smooth.
2. Stir in mayonnaise, onion, vinegar and wasabi paste. Season with salt.
3. Arrange egg white halves on a serving platter, then spoon yolk mixture into whites. Garnish each egg half with pickled ginger and pea shoots.
CRAB-STUFFED DEVILED EGGS
Prep: 30 minutes | Ready in: 1 hour, 12 minutes | Servings: 12
Recipe and photo courtesy of allrecipes.com
What you need:
6 large eggs
4 ounces fresh crab meat, divided
3 tablespoons mayonnaise, or to taste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1 pinch seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
3 drops Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon creme fraiche, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, divided
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more for garnish
Cook's note: You can substitute lobster or caviar for the crab.
What you do:
1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Slip yolks into small bowl.
2. Place crab meat onto a plate and separate into 2 equal portions, one containing the small bits and one containing the attractive larger pink chunks. Reserve portion containing larger chunks.
3. Chop the portion of crab meat with the smaller chunks and add to egg yolks. Mash yolks with a fork.
4. Stir in mayonnaise, tarragon, mustard, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, seafood seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper. Transfer yolk mixture into a piping bag fitted with a medium tip. Pipe crab filling into cavities of egg halves.
5. Chop largest crab pieces and place remaining crab meat into a small bowl. Lightly stir in lemon zest, creme fraiche, Aleppo and cayenne pepper with a fork. Taste and adjust salt. If mixture seems dry, stir in more creme fraiche.
6. Top each stuffed egg with a generous pinch of crab mixture. Sprinkle each deviled egg with a pinch of chives and a light dusting of cayenne pepper. Transfer eggs to a serving platter; refrigerate until serving time.