Laura had an Ornament Swap with her alumnae chapter on Sunday. She enlisted my help with the food preparations. I loved having the chance to try out some new techniques and recipes without having to eat all of the results. So I hard boiled 18 eggs on Saturday (10 minutes in the steamer basket), split them open and made 36 deviled eggs. Most of the yolks came out quite easily, and in fact none of them were green! I mixed them in with some finely minced onion, minced celery, celery salt, salt, and paprika (of course). Filling them was a little challenging, Someday when I have a set of pastry tips, I might opt to use them instead.
I also made a baked brie dish with caramelized onions, pistacios and dried cranberries. It probably needed another 5 minutes in the oven to really get the brie good and gooey. I didn't have any of this, but the onion mixture smelled wonderful.
Updated 8 Dec 2004: Ever wonder what to do with a huge plate of left-over deviled eggs? Well, besides eat them. Just mix them with a little extra mayo, and mash them with a fork (or pastry blender). I added a dash of cayenne pepper and had some very yummy egg salad sandwiches. Usually I don't go through the trouble of finely mincing onion and celery for egg salad, so there was a pleasant texture to these sandwiches.
Mike thinks this recipe is ridiculous, but here is a recipe for absolutely perfect hard boiled eggs. It's a little fussy, but it works:
http://www.recipesource.com/main-dishes/eggs/01/rec0137.html
The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Recipe By : Julia Child, "The Way to Cook"
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:40
Categories : Cheese/Eggs Family Recipes
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For 1-4 Eggs:
1 to 4 Eggs
2 quarts water -- * see note
For 12 Eggs:
12 Eggs
3 1/2 quarts water -- * see note
For 24 Eggs:
24 Eggs
6 quarts water -- * see note
Special Equipment_________________________
High (not wide) Saucepan with cover
Bowl w/ice cubes & water (large enough to
completely cover eggs)
*note: water should cover the eggs by 1 inch, so use a tall pan, and limit
cooking to 2 dozen eggs at a time.
1. Lay the eggs in the pan and add the amount of cold water specified. Set
over high heat and bring just to the boil; remove from heat, cover the pan,
and let sit exactly 17 minutes.
2. When the time is up, transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and
water. Chill for 2 minutes while bringing the cooking water to the boil
again. (This 2 minute chilling shrinks the body of the egg from the shell.)
3. Transfer the eggs (6 at a time only) to the boiling water, bring to the
boil again, and let boil for 10 seconds - this expands the shell from the
egg. Remove eggs, and place back into the ice water.
Chilling the eggs promptly after each step prevents that dark line from
forming, and if time allows, leave the eggs in the ice water after the last
step for 15 to 20 minutes. Chilled eggs are easier to peel, as well.
The peeled eggs will keep perfectly in the refrigerator, submerged in water
in an uncovered container, for 2 to 3 days.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES : The perfect hard boiled egg has a tender white, and a yolk properly
set. There is not the faintest darkening of yolk where the white encircles
it (a chemical reaction caused by too much heat in the cooking process).
Eggs cooked this way can also be peeled neatly.
The system described here, developed by the Georgia Egg Board, takes a bit
of fussing - but it really does produce an absolutely Perfect Hard Boiled Egg!
That recipe does sound a little ridiculous :-p, but I agree that a vat of ice water is absolutely essential to a good hard-boiled egg. The cookbook I was working from (Alton Brown: _I'm Just Here for the Food_) advocates *baking* the eggs in the oven. Allegedly it results in a creamier texture. I may try that someday, but for now I think steaming them is a good combination of quick and consistent.