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Deviled Eggs with Cayenne and a Touch of Curry

Source of Recipe

From "Cook With Me" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"I have a vivid memory of my mother making deviled eggs. The flavor of eggs and mayonnaise was familiar because she often made egg salad. That's where the recipe took a great left turn. Cayenne? Apple cider vinegar? I bit into the egg, and the white was still somewhat warm. It was the first time I remember feeling the power of cayenne pepper, and the vinegar lifted the spice to another level. I was just a kid, so all I knew was that I wanted more. Using whipped cream to lighten the yolk mixture is a trick that my mother taught me—I think it was handed down from a Julia Child recipe. While smoky paprika is always the classic here, I love the heat of cayenne pepper. I also take issue with the fact that we pour so much effort into the yolks but ignore the whites. An unseasoned egg white dilutes the intensity of the yolk filling. So...season them!"

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 12 large eggs
â—¦ ½ cup mayonnaise
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Tabasco
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
â—¦ ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus extra for dusting
â—¦ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
â—¦ Juice of 1 large lemon (3 ½ to 4 tablespoons)
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ ½ cup heavy cream
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons sweet curry powder


Recipe

Gently place the eggs in a medium pot and add cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let the eggs stand for 10 minutes. Then drain and transfer them to a bowl of cool water.

Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, gently crack the eggshells on a flat surface for easier peeling. Peel the eggs (if necessary, rinse them quickly under cool water to remove any small shell bits and then dry them thoroughly) and halve them lengthwise. Remove the yolks, place them in a sieve set over a medium bowl, and use a silicone spatula to push them through the strainer. Arrange the egg white halves on a platter.

Add the mayonnaise, Tabasco, mustard, Worcestershire, cayenne, vinegar, and about 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice to the yolks and whisk to combine. Season with salt to taste.

In a separate bowl, use a whisk to whip the cream until it forms medium (but still fairly soft) peaks. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the yolk mixture. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a fluted tip with the egg yolk mixture (alternatively, use a plastic sandwich bag with one of the bottom corners cut off).

Season the egg whites with salt. Fill a tea strainer with some cayenne and use it to lightly dust the whites. Fill the cavities of the egg whites with the yolk mixture. Dust the tops lightly with the curry powder.

Makes 24 deviled eggs