Deviled Eggs 3 Ways

An old school party classic, but make it chic.

I’ve never met a deviled egg I didn’t like. I love them the classic southern way, or topped with trout roe in that 2000s-idea-of-fancy style. They tend to lean a little bit retro and kitschy — which there’s really nothing wrong with — but I wanted to reimagine them through my own lens.

These three interpretations are delicate and guided by the gentle flavors of spring. The first is a simple base balanced with acidity and salt and topped with the sweetest little radish rose. The second is inspired by a French sauce called gribiche filled with briny things and tender herbs, and the third is a pea and chive flavor with lightly sweet and vegetal notes and a little bit of funkiness from crème fraîche.

If you do make all three varieties, I recommend preparing them in the order written, which allows you to use the same mixing bowl and piping bag for each with minimal cross-contamination of flavors.

Notes on Boiling Eggs

For successful boiled eggs, I recommend lowering them into gently boiling water very slowly with a slotted spoon, and stirring occasionally. The time will vary slightly by size, but I generally boil for about 12 minutes for large eggs. When the eggs finish cooking, it’s essential to transfer them to an ice bath immediately. Once they’ve cooled, I like to peel them under water, and make sure to get ahold of the membrane right off the bat, allowing water to slide underneath it to release it from the white for a clean peel that doesn’t rip your eggs to shreds.

Notes on Plating

To keep your eggs from sliding around, you can either slice a thin sliver off either side of the egg before splitting it down the middle to create flat bottoms, or by piping a tiny amount of the yolk mixture underneath each egg to stick it to the plate. For piping, a star tip is nice, but you want what is called a French or open star tip, meaning the teeth do not close in over the opening at all. A more closed star shape can cause many clogs.