Stuffed eggs, or deviled eggs if we go back to the first written reference to this food -which dates back to 1786- consisted of a plate of boiled eggs, cut in half and stuffed with a mixture of mayonnaise, mustard and cooked yolk from the egg. It is a widely known recipe throughout global gastronomy, which means that there are innumerable ways to prepare them, with ingredients such as caviar, bacon, chili, pickled cucumbers and different spices. Here it is common to find them with a salad of mayonnaise, tuna and the cooked yolk sprinkled on top, although there are variations that can add ketchup, mustard, olives, onion, red pepper and some other ingredient.
One way to add different flavors and nuances to eggs is to pickle them; their use is a bit unknown around here, although at least you will have seen them in Moe’s bar from The Simpsons. The basic recipe consists of submerging the eggs -already cooked and peeled- in a mixture of water, vinegar and salt. From this base, spices, sauces and vegetables can be added to provide different colors and flavors. You have probably all seen those striking pink eggs that are prepared by submerging them in vinegar and water boiled with beets, but they are just one example of the infinity of brines that can be prepared. With this, we are going to prepare five different types of brine to pickle and color eggs: we must not forget that this type of process emerged to extend the life of food, so we can have batches of boiled eggs and refrigerated pickles for any occasion.
Regardless of whether we are going to marinate or pickle the eggs, we will prepare a slightly spicy filling with anchovies, mustard, coriander, fresh onion, lemon juice and decorate them with a little bit of chili oil in pieces. I particularly like to use lao gan ma for these things, as it goes with everything and is easy to find. If you feel creative you can make your own chili oil as the boss explained in this video commissioner Mikel Lopez Iturriaga. If you have access to a mayonnaise of your liking, you can just mix ingredients and that’s it -I’m from the wasabi Kewpie mayonnaise army and I’ll never get off of that- but if you want to start from scratch you can use the popular and familiar wisdom of how prepare a mayonnaise or go directly to the bible of mayonnaise.
Difficulty
If you make all five marinades it may take a while (but it’s not necessary).
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 5 chopped anchovies
- 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon old mustard
- Half a fresh onion, chopped (or chopped chives)
- 1 stalk of celery about 6cm chopped
- 6 stalks of chopped coriander (stem and leaf)
- Half a teaspoon of fine salt
- The zest of a lemon and the juice of its half
to top it off
- Chili oil or lao gan ma on top of each egg (to taste; you can even emulsify it in the mayonnaise)
- Coriander leaves
- Chive
Preparation
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Cook the eggs for nine minutes in water already boiling over a very low heat, stop the cooking quickly with ice or very cold water and peel them.
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Remove the yolks from the boiled eggs and add them to a bowl, mortar or blender glass.
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We add the rest of the ingredients and mix vigorously (you can also crush everything, but I like the pieces). Let stand 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
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Fill the egg whites with the mayonnaise mixture and add the chili oil on top together with coriander and chive leaves. Serve and eat.
To marinate 6 whole and peeled eggs
Eggs marinated in soy
This type of pickled egg is frequently used to accompany ramen. By combining 500 ml of water with 150 ml of soy sauce, a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of white sugar, two pieces of star anise, two cloves of crushed garlic, a four-centimeter piece of crushed ginger, a cinnamon stick and two tablespoons of sake, mirin or white wine. For a spicy touch, add chilies to taste. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes semi-covered, let cool and add to a container with the eggs. A couple of thick lemon slices can be added to help the eggs submerge completely. Store in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours and ready to eat.
Pickled Eggs with Beetroot
The main characteristic of this type of pickle is the color. The pink/purple (excuse my colorblindness) of the beet completely stains the white of the eggs. To prepare them we need 750 ml of water, a cooked and chopped beetroot, 150 ml of apple cider vinegar, 2 bay leaves, a teaspoon and a half of salt, two teaspoons of white sugar and a teaspoon of black peppercorns. Cook over high heat, half covered, for 10 minutes. Let cool and cover the eggs. Refrigerate a minimum of 48 hours and eat.
Eggs pickled in turmeric, saffron and cardamom
These eggs take on an almost artificial golden and orange color. The aroma of cardamom, turmeric and saffron make them perfect to add, chopped, on stews with curry, lentils or rice. To prepare them we will need 750 ml of water, 100 ml of apple cider vinegar, a piece of crushed ginger, a tablespoon of cardamom grains -a little crushed to better release the aroma-, a tablespoon of turmeric powder, a teaspoon of salt , two teaspoons of sugar and a pinch of saffron threads. Cook over medium heat, half covered for 10 minutes, bring to temperature and add to the eggs. In 48 hours they will be ready.
pickled eggs
The reddish color of these eggs is provided by the paprika: to prepare them you need 400 ml of water, 150 ml of white vinegar, 125 ml of dry white wine, three tablespoons of olive oil, five crushed cloves of garlic, half a white onion, chopped , a chopped celery stalk, a sliced carrot, three bay leaves, a heaped teaspoon of black peppercorns, a tablespoon of salt, a teaspoon of white sugar and a tablespoon and a half of sweet paprika. Put the oil in a pot and, over medium heat, add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, celery, carrot, black pepper, salt and sugar. After 10 minutes add the paprika and cook one more minute. Pour the water, the vinegar, the wine and let it boil for another 10 minutes. When it cools down, strain and add to the container with the eggs with two of the garlic cloves and a bay leaf. Refrigerate 48 hours minimum.
Pickled Eggs with Mustard and Dill
The most classic recipe involves pickling the eggs in the same way as it would be done with pickles in vinegar. To prepare them you need 500 ml of water, 150 ml of apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of yellow mustard seeds, three sprigs of dill, two cloves of crushed garlic, a teaspoon of black pepper, two of salt and one of white sugar. Boil the water with the salt, sugar, mustard seeds and peppercorns. After 10 minutes, let it cool down and add the vinegar, dill and crushed garlic. Pour everything over the eggs and refrigerate for at least 48 hours.
#Spicy #Deviled #Eggs #Ways #Marinate