pantone801

Bacon and Cheese Deviled Eggs

// January 15th, 2012 // hors d'oeuvres

I made these for a party last night and they were delicious. I’d like to see devilled eggs make a comeback, and love their 70′s kitschiness. Did you know they are also called Eggs Mimosa, that they originated in Rome, and that in Hungary the yolks are mixed with bread soaked in milk. Wikipedia has a lot of other information including how they got their name.

The term “deviled”, in reference to food, was in use in the 18th century, with the first known print reference appearing in 1786. In the 19th century, it came to be used most often with spicy or zesty food, including eggs prepared with mustard, pepper or other ingredients stuffed in the yolk cavity.

This recipe is from last years Saveur 100 (Number 135)

12 eggs
1/2 cup finely grated aged cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise*
4 small bacon rashers, cooked and chopped, plus 2 tsp rendered bacon fat reserved
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste
hot sauce, such as Sriracha to garnish

Prick the air pocket at the blunt end of the eggs to prevent them cracking when cooking. Put the eggs in a medium-size saucepan of cold tap water and bring to the boil. Remove the pan form the heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain eggs and crack each shell slightly. Transfer to a bowl of iced water and let cool.

Peel and halve each egg lengthways. Using a small spoon scoop out the yolk into a medium bowl. Using a fork, mash the yolks. Add cheddar, mayonnaise, bacon and bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a spatula until smooth.

Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a smooth tip and pipe into the egg whites. Garnish each egg with a small dollop of hot sauce using the tip of a teaspoon handle. Serve cold or at room temperature.

* My favourite mayonnaise is by Best Foods, it is not sweet and has a tangy buttery flavour.