Devilled Eggs
This Devilled Eggs recipe is a handy little starter for a hot South African Christmas, especially when the oven is already busy with lunch. The whites stay tender, while the yolks become a creamy filling with mayonnaise, mustard and just enough vinegar to balance the richness.
You only need six eggs to make a dozen neat halves, so this is an easy platter to put together without a long shopping list. A teaspoon works perfectly for filling them; there is no need for a piping bag.
Serve them fridge-cold alongside your festive salads or as a small snack before the main meal. Keep the platter chilled until everyone is ready to eat, and bring out smaller batches if lunch is outdoors.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water to about 2 cm above the eggs. Prepare a bowl of ice-cold water for cooling them.
- 2Bring the water to the boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- 3Transfer the eggs to the ice-cold water with a slotted spoon. Leave for about 10 minutes, until thoroughly cooled.
- 4Gently crack the shells all over and peel the eggs, starting at the wider end. Rinse off any shell fragments and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- 5Halve each egg lengthways. Carefully lift the yolks into a bowl and arrange the whites cut-side up on a plate.
- 6Mash the yolks finely with a fork. Mix in the mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar until creamy, then stir in the chives. Taste before adding the salt and pepper.
- 7Divide the filling evenly between the egg whites using two teaspoons, or pipe it in with a piping bag fitted with a wide nozzle.
- 8Dust lightly with paprika and scatter over the extra chives. Serve straight away while cold, or cover and refrigerate until serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 122 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Protein
- 6.4 g
- Fat
- 10.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.1 g
- Sugar
- 0.5 g
- Fibre
- 0.1 g
- Sodium
- 180 mg
- Cholesterol
- 190 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- For a head start, boil and peel the eggs up to a day ahead. Keep them in a covered container in the fridge and fill them on the day.
- Keep filled eggs covered at 4°C or colder. On a hot Christmas day, serve small batches and keep the rest refrigerated; a serving platter nested over ice helps keep them cold.
- Discard eggs left without refrigeration or effective ice chilling for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when the temperature is above 32°C.
- The recipe makes 12 halves, allowing 2 per person as a starter. Double the quantities for a larger family gathering. The listed times include cooling but not optional extra refrigeration.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make devilled eggs the day before?
Yes. You can assemble them up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate them promptly in a covered container. Add the paprika and extra chives just before serving for the neatest finish.
What can I use instead of Dijon mustard?
Use the same amount of mild prepared mustard. For hot English mustard, start with 2.5 ml, taste the filling and add more only if needed.
Why is my filling lumpy?
The yolks need to be mashed very finely before the other ingredients go in. For an especially smooth filling, press them through a fine sieve first. If the finished mixture feels too firm, stir in an extra 5 ml mayonnaise.
