Fantastic Deviled Egg Recipes

_{Photo: CLAUDIA CATALANO}

It’s with no shortage of boastful relish that I’m privileged to share these fantastic deviled eggs from The Black Birch restaurant, which were recently given a glowing write up by The Boston Globe in an article entitled In Kittery, Maine, humble deviled eggs elevated to an art form. The reason that I feel so enthusiastic about these eggs is that I happened to live with their creator, sous chef Skye Bonney, along with Black Birch co-founder Ben Lord, when they were literally cooking up their plans to open the restaurant. As a result, I begrudgingly accepted the role of amateur food critic to they’re culinary musings and I can emphatically attest to the magnificence of the deviled eggs described in The Boston Globe.

There’s the Italian sub egg, where the yolk mixture includes onion, pickle, tomato, cherry pepper, and a potato chip topping. Other fillings, like sriracha with chopped peanuts, chipotle with cocoa, and celery with blue cheese, have been big hits. A recent trio featured sofrito with chorizo, spiced salt with popcorn, and sweet potato with toasted marshmallow, which is simultaneously sweet and salty, finishing with smoky, caramelized sugar.

If you’d like to try out a batch of your very own snazzy deviled eggs at your next dinner party, then you might take stab at this carrot and pickled-ginger deviled eggs recipe provided by Black Birch:

12 eggs, hardboiled
3 carrots, sliced thin
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
salt, to taste
1 tsp whole toasted cumin seed, ground (optional)
1 T Dijon mustard
1 c mayonnaise (preferably Hellman’s)
Pickled Ginger, to garnish

In medium saucepan bring approximately two quarts of water to a boil. Carefully drop eggs into boiling water. When water returns to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit for twelve minutes then drain and cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the eggs. Using a small paring knife trim both the ends off the egg then cut through the middle. Reserve the yolks and the whites separately.

Gently cook the carrots in a small amount of oil. Season with salt, half the ground cumin and minced ginger. Cover and cook until very soft. Remove from heat and cool.

Place yolks in bowl of food processor and pulse until crumbly. Transfer to bowl. Puree carrot mixture in processor until fairly smooth. Add egg yolks, Dijon and 1/2 of the mayonnaise. Process until incorporated. Add remaining mayonnaise and process until smooth. Taste and adjust. Fill disposable pastry bag with filling and pipe into egg whites. Garnish with pickled ginger and a dusting of the ground cumin seed.

Of course, I also recommend stopping by The Black Birch to try these little eggy gems as soon as you possibly can!