I think I maybe get why broken, stereotypical housewives made funny cocktail foods and drank martinis and did Valium back in the 50s. You'd probably see Jesus in the yolks or something. These were hilarious and finicky and time-consuming little things to make but I'd definitely do it again. They were quite delicious with a beer (kind of salty, would cut down next time) and I was rewarded by seeing some guy at this party eat one and mumble to himself about forgetting how much he loved deviled eggs. I guess I'm holding true happily to what the checkout guy at the co-op said to me yesterday: "Every holiday's a food holiday now, ya know?"
***
"Deviled Eggs Also Known As Oblong Heaven" (taken from Epicurious, taken from
Brini Maxwell's Guide to Gracious Living.
Note: Points ON for the title of course, points off for amount of salt - only do 1/4 tsp, if at all. Also, I think it would be nice if the filling ended up a little more creamy (it was kind of like clay that you had to smoosh smooth) but hey, nothing a tablespoon or so of cream or water couldn't accomplish next time, or just boiling the eggs themselves a little less.
- 12 hard-boiled eggs, cooled completely
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Preparation:
"Shell the eggs, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the yolks carefully. (We don't want messy broken whites, do we?) Put the yolks in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the chives) to the yolks and mix well. Place a dollop of the yolk mixture in the indentation in each of the egg white halves and garnish with chopped chives.
Here's a hint: Cut your chives up with scissors instead of a knife. The process will go much more quickly.
Shelling eggs
Getting those hard-boiled eggs out of the shell can be quite a chore. I've found that the best way begins with the cooking. Boil your eggs for exactly ten minutes, then transfer them to a bowl of cold water immediately and leave them there for at least another ten minutes. This will stop the cooking of the eggs and ensure the easy removal of the shells. Once your eggs have cooled, take one and crack the shell, starting at the large end, where the little pocket of air usually is, and continue all the way around. Then, under running water, find or make a small tear in the membrane beneath the shell and let the water run between the membrane and the egg. The water will do most of the work for you and the egg will practically peel itself"
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