Asian Deviled Eggs

Growing up, I remember all the memories of dyeing Easter eggs and then hunting for them with my younger sister.  Then, there were the memories of upset stomachs after gorging on Easter candy and jelly beans; that wasn't so fun. All my life I've loved the traditions that go with Easter, including the family gathering together to cook and eat together. It might have been a bit different in my household, but I do remember the eating and Easter egg hunting. 


In fact, I loved Easter egg hunting so much that I remember having my sister visit me in Virginia when I was 21 or 22 and she was a senior in high school. We stayed up the night before Easter making Easter eggs.  The next morning, we hid them in the little courtyard of my apartment complex and then proceeded to try and find them all. I say, try because even though we had hid them ourselves, we lost 2 out of 10 eggs somehow.   

In my household, my parents only knew how to make Chinese food, the only non-Asian food I had ever really had growing up were hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, and a limited number of pasta dishes.  When I moved to Edison, I was introduced to Indian food.  But my exploration of food really didn't begin until I started college in DC, one of the most diverse and multicultural cities in the US.  My taste buds started really developing with all the amazing Thai, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern food I enjoyed along with the usual burgers and fries. 

Somehow, I made it through college without ever tasting a deviled egg until I was in my early 20s. And my first one was a revelation! Where had these been all my life? Creamy and a little tangy from the capers, they became one of my favorite things to make. 

If you've never had deviled eggs before, this recipe will convert you! The Asian deviled eggs I made as my appetizer for my Easter-themed dinner last night is the culmination of my Chinese heritage and my American coming together.

ASIAN DEVILED EGGS

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

6 large eggs, hardboiled and peeled*

1/4 cup light mayonnaise 

1 tbsp sriracha

3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

2 stalks green onions (just the green part, reserve white for another purpose), finely chopped

Pinch of Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pinch of Piment d'espelette (can be replaced with sweet paprika)

1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out the yellow yolk into a small mixing bowl.

2. Add the mayo, sriracha, cilantro, half of chopped green onions in with the yolks. Using a fork, mash them all together until it becomes creamy and lump free.  Add just a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper, mix together one last time.

3. Spoon 2 tbsp of filling into the center of each egg.**

4. Top each egg with a pinch of piment d'espelette and green onions.

5. Serve immediately or you can make this the day before and bring it out ten minutes before your guests arrive.

* One of my biggest peeves is an overcooked egg yolk, it is dry and crumbly. A perfectly cooked hard boiled egg needs to be in there for no more than 8 minutes over medium high heat. The yolk will come out a gorgeous yellow color and still be slightly soft in the center of it. Your eggs will come out creamier if you have the perfectly cooked egg, I promise you.  If you are short on time or hate peeling eggs as much as I do, you can also just purchase them pre-made from a supermarket in the same aisle you would purchase your eggs.

** To create a more sophisticated plate of deviled eggs, put the filling into a piping bag, use a star-tip and pipe the filling into the center of each egg.

Make sure to come back on Monday to check out the rest of my Easter recipes!  In the meantime, I can definitely share what you have to look forward to as well as hopefully inspiring your Easter Sunday dinners tomorrow evening. Happy Easter everyone!!

Easter Theme Dinner Menu

Asian Deviled Eggs

Fennel-Orange Salad

Mini rack of lambs served on top of a Jerusalem artichoke purée and sauteed ramps

Profiteroles with cinnamon-rum ice cream