Jerri’s Deviled Eggs

For as long as I can remember I have liked deviled eggs. Perhaps it was because we raised chickens and had lots of fresh eggs that my mother used in many different ways: fried eggs, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, custards, puddings, cakes, pies, breads, potato salad and deviled eggs. They were a regular feature of church potlucks and picnics when I was growing up, and fortunately I never outgrew my taste for them.

Like my mother, Jerri makes great deviled eggs and showed me how she does it. The recipe below is a guide only. Once you make these a few times, feel free to adjust proportions until you get the exact taste you want.

INGREDIENTS:

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Paprika for garnish

PROCEDURE:

Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water to about one inch above the eggs. Bring them to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for four minutes. Cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Let the eggs stand for nine minutes. Drain the hot water and slip the eggs into a bowl of ice water. Chill them for at least ten minutes.

Peel the eggs under cold water and cut in half lengthwise. Pop out the yolks into a small bowl and mash them with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Fill the empty egg whites with the mixture and sprinkle with paprika.

Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving. Use toothpicks to tent the wrap over the eggs.
 
NOTE: I like to finish the eggs with a very light sprinkling of salt, but many cooks assume that guests can add salt at the table if they prefer.