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Blogs / yum! / Spring 2010 / Oodles of Eggs

yum!

A blog about food

Oodles of Eggs

The egg is often seen as a symbol of rebirth or renewal in many cultures, countries, folklore, and faiths. They are kind of a major part of the classic chicken-or-egg debate, a reliable prop in fun outdoor picnic egg races and a perfectly-sized yummy snack that I get to gorge on at Easter time.

I have such vivid childhood memories of north Louisiana during Easter. White shoes, pretty pink dresses, Easter hats, spending the morning with my cousins searching for eggs, Grandma and Granddaddy watching the festivities with glee knowing they had hidden a few plastic gems filled with chocolate, gummy bears or the golden egg filled with ONE WHOLE dollar. My cousin, Buddy Miller, owns one of the best-kept secrets in the South—the man can make a pie and smoke a pig (and lucky for us Idahoans, he ships). And we all looked forward to the ham on Easter Sunday. The meal–the parade–the company and Spring in the South. Absolutely divine.

Easter and the bunny was something to look forward to as a child. And as it should be. But even then, I have to say my favorite were the days after the big event when you had to be creative and use all those boiled eggs before they went bad. And I love boiled eggs.

First. The perfect boiled egg.

I do not like it when there is a weird green color around the yolk (this won’t hurt you, it is just the egg is a bit overcooked and I find the color slightly unappetizing). Here I explain how to boil four eggs, but cook as many as you like–just be sure they all have space in the pan and they are not piled but lining the bottom of the pot.

In a pot, cover 4 eggs with cold water, submerging them by at least an inch. Cover pot and bring to a boil. When steam is rising from pot and water is boiling, remove pot from the hot eye of the stove (DON’T TAKE THE TOP OFF AND LET STEAM ESCAPE) and put time for 15 minutes. When done, run under the cold tap to cool and use.

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Deviled Eggs

Ooo. I love love love deviled eggs. If you make some up and have leftovers, slice them into an egg sando! Add bacon.

1 dozen eggs
¼ cup mayo
¼ cup Dijon mustard (I like good Dijon-y Stoneground mustard)
4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
paprika
Cajun spice (or salt and pepper)
(some options: pickle, pimento, etc–spice it up to your liking!)

Boil eggs and then peel and cut lengthwise. Remove yolks and rub through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Add mayo, mustard and butter and mix until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and cayenne. Season with spices. Be bold here as flavor will dull as the eggs chill. Fill the egg whites with your mix and garnish with paprika. Chill until ready to serve.

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JudyLee’s Wonderful Tuna Salad

My mom makes the best tuna salad. It has the perfect mix of ingredients that makes canned tuna taste more like a delicacy. I didn’t realize mom’s was any different from other people’s until I shared it with a co-worker recently, who raved. Use this recipe as a guide for your added veg and play with the proportions. Admittedly, I will add red bell peppers/green peppers/anything I have in my fridge to this for some color. And I love eating it on a sando. Add bacon.

1½-2 teaspoons lemon pepper
2 cans tuna, drained (the trick here is to get the SOLID white tuna – not light or pink)
4 boiled eggs
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 chopped green onions
6 tablespoons regular mayonnaise (Judy didn’t do light mayo. I heartedly agree with her choice of Hellmann’s)

As eggs are boiling, wash and chop your veg. Drain tuna as well (pour off water and put in colander or use paper towels). Put tuna, green onions, and celery in a bowl. Cut up and add eggs, mayo and lemon pepper to the bowl. Now stir together VERY gently and in a folding manner. You don’t want all the tuna to shred and get mushy in the mayo—the chunks are the best. Enjoy!