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Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon & Chives

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"A little sweet and crunchy bacon is a great way to jazz up classic deviled eggs. The only problem is that once you taste the candied bacon, you'll be tempted to forget the eggs entirely and eat the bacon on its own. No worries—I've called for a little extra in the recipe so you won't have to resist the temptation to sneak a few bites."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
â—¦ 2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
â—¦ 6 eggs
â—¦ 2 tablespoons best-quality mayonnaise
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
â—¦ â…› teaspoon salt
â—¦ â…› teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ Pinch of cayenne pepper
â—¦ 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives


Recipe

Set a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp and well rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the skillet. Pour the fat into a bowl—you'll use some of it later—and place the pan back on the stove (no need to clean it). Turn the heat to low and add 1 teaspoon of the vinegar and the brown sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the bacon back to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the bacon is evenly coated with the sugar mixture, about 1 minute. Transfer the bacon bits to a plate in a single layer (they'll stick together a bit; that's okay); let cool completely.

Place the eggs in a medium saucepan and fill the pan with enough water so that it covers the eggs by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Place the hard-boiled eggs in a bowl of cold water to cool (I usually just use the saucepan).

Crack the eggs, then peel under cold running water. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Arrange the whites on a serving platter. Using a spatula, push the yolks through a mesh sieve into a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat, the remaining ½ teaspoon vinegar, the mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Use a small rubber spatula to mix, smearing the mixture against the side of the bowl, until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Fill a sealable plastic bag with the yolk mixture, and use your fingers to push the mixture to one corner of the bag. Use scissors to snip off the tip of the corner, opening up a ¼-inch hole. Pipe the yolk mixture evenly into the egg white halves. (Alternatively, for a less fussy preparation, simply spoon the yolk mixture into the egg whites.) Top with the cooled candied bacon, sprinkle with the chives, and serve.

Makes 12



• Make Ahead:
The eggs can be cooked and stored whole in the refrigerator several days ahead of time, and the bacon can be made a few hours ahead. Assemble the deviled eggs at the last minute so that the bacon stays crisp.

• Pro Tip:
For the creamiest, fluffiest, lump-free deviled egg filling, pass the yolks through a mesh sieve. (You can also blend the yolks in a food processor with the other filling ingredients for a similar result.)