eggs all week

A review of a few of the basics…

The Deviled Egg

A hard boiled egg white is the perfect vehicle for all sorts of fillings, from healthy to indulgent. Shown below is a combination of a few options.

Spicy Deviled Eggs with Jalapeño and Chili Paste

6 large eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons mayo
1 teaspoon chili paste, plus about 1 teaspoon for garnish
2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 fresh jalapeño, sliced very thinly, seeds removed

Peel eggs and halve them lengthwise. Remove the egg yolks from the whites and place the yolks into a small medium size bowl. Mash the yolks with the mayo, 1 teaspoon of the chili paste, Sriracha, and salt and pepper until you have a smooth consistency.

Spoon the filling into the egg whites and garnish with one jalapeño slice and a small dab of chili paste.

Pimiento Cheese Deviled Eggs topped with Lump Crab

6 hard boiled eggs
1 tablespoon mayonaise
1/4 cup Palmetto Cheese (preferably the Jalapeño, but love the Original and Bacon, too)
dash of hot sauce if you are not using the jalapeño cheese. or, like me, add it anyway
salt and pepper
12 small pieces of lump crab for garnish, about
1 tablespoon of chives, finely chopped

Follow the directions above, this time mashing the yolks with the mayo, pimiento cheese, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. The consistency is hard to get very smooth with the pimiento cheese dip, so if you do not like your deviled eggs a little chunky, pulse the filling in a food processor instead.

Spoon into egg whites and top with a small piece of lump crab meat and sprinkle with chives.

Eggs stuffed with Hummus and Roasted Red Pepper

6 hard boiled eggs
1 cup of Spinach Roots hummus, or your fave alternative
2 tablespoons chopped red pepper, fresh or roasted

Peel and halve them lengthwise. Remove yolks for another use and fill each white with hummus. Top with red pepper and serve.

**Spicy Eggs on the far left, Hummus Eggs in the middle, Pimiento Cheese Eggs on the far right.**

The Soft-Boiled Egg

Easier and faster than poaching, the soft-boiled egg is just warm and gooey. And a good excuse to bring out your prettiest egg cups.

To get the perfect soft boil, first gently place eggs in a large saucepan. Fill the pan with water, covering eggs by 2 inches.
Bring water to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Start your timer now for 3 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove eggs from water.
Serve immediately in egg cups. Gently crack the top with the side of a butter knife and scoop the egg from the shell. Season with salt and pepper.

The 6 1/2 Minute Egg

This one is my favorite to eat with a half a sliced avocado. Toast optional but add plenty of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.

As above, first gently place eggs in a large saucepan. Fill the pan with water enough to cover the eggs by 2 inches.
Bring water to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Start your timer now for 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath and gently crack and peel.
Season with salt and pepper.

The Hard-Boiled Egg

Gently place eggs in a large sauce pan. Fill the pan with enough water to cover the eggs by 2 inches.
Bring the water to a boil, then turn off burner and cover with a lid. Set the timer for 12 minutes and immediately remove when the timer goes off. Rinse with cold water, then gently crack, peel, and eat.

Toad in the Hole

for one serving

1 egg
1 slice of bread about 3/4 of an inch thick.
1 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Depending upon the surface area of the bread, choose a cookie cutter that fits in the center, leaving about 1/2 inch bread around it on all sides. Remove the center.

Add bread slices and heart-shaped cut out. ncrease heat to medium and fry until bread is golden on first side, about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Flip bread over, add the egg to the hole and season.

Lower heat to medium-low. Cover and cook about 1-1 1/2 minutes. Covering the pan will give the top of the egg a chance to start cooking. Uncover the skillet for the remainder of the cooking time, about another 1/2-2 minutes.

The Poached Egg

1 egg
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
salt and pepper

Fill a sauce pot 3/4 full of water and bring to a boil. Crack egg into a small bowl or ramekin. Make a vortex in the pan by stirring with a spoon. Tip egg into the center and keep swirling until the white sets around the yolk.

Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, then carefully life out of the water with a slotted spoon. Season with salt and pepper.