Mike and I threw some rather legendary cocktail parties at our Brooklyn apartment, and one thing that always went quickly were my deviled eggs. I make several versions but this one, inspired by the smoked trout deviled eggs served at New York’s Pegu Club, is probably our favorite. The smoked trout flavor is clear but subtle, and whipping the egg yolk mixture in the food processor rather than by hand gives it a light and creamy, almost mousse-like texture which I find really appealing. These make a fine foil for an ice-cold Martini at cocktail hour, and the recipe is easy to scale up for entertaining. You can also make the filling a day in advance, and pipe it into the egg white halves just before serving.
Ingredients
- 3 hard-boiled eggs (my foolproof method is below)
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 2 teaspoons good, sharp dijon mustard
- a pinch of kosher or sea salt
- juice of half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 ounce applewood-smoked trout, skin removed, flaked
- snipped fresh chives, chervil, or dill fronds for garnish
Directions
- Cut the eggs in half lengthwise, remove the yolks, and set the egg whites aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the yolks, mayo, Dijon, salt, lemon juice, and smoked trout, and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Place the egg white halves on a serving plate. Scrape the yolk mixture into a pastry bag (or a zip-top plastic bag with a corner cut off) and pipe the mixture into the egg white halves. Garnish with fresh herbs just before serving.
- Place eggs into a pot and cover them with cold water, cover and bring to a boil. Allow the eggs to boil for one minute, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Drain the eggs and plunge them into an ice bath until they are cooled. The eggs are ready to use immediately or can be refrigerated for up to one week. Note: this works best with eggs that have a bit of age on them – ultra-fresh eggs like the ones we get from our farmers’ market don’t peel well, so I usually buy eggs for boiling a couple of weeks in advance.
