Deviled Eggs '14

It is that time again to revisit deviled eggs! I know some of you may be tired of them but I found an article about deviled eggs in every April issue of my cooking magazines. Guess some people are still enthused about deviled eggs!

I am doing coffee hour for the next two weeks and everyone asks for deviled eggs. I decided to kick them up a bit and really go all out for decorating them. They are always the first thing to go, eaten by young and old alike.

Good stuffed eggs are built on good technique. For the best hard cooked eggs, simmer them 10 minutes, cool slightly under tap water; then get cracking. Don’t overcook the eggs. The whites should still have a little wiggle to them. For creamier yolks, grate them on a box grater. (This seems a little much but to each his own.) One chef in Atlanta has hollowed out the center of the egg and stuffed them with the deviled egg. You can see this in the April issue of ‘Garden and Gun.’ I am not going that far but it looked really fancy!

The possibilities are endless for creative stuffed eggs. Learn the basic recipe and then break off with your own garnishes. Deviled eggs are like good manners. They never go out of style.

Classic Deviled Eggs

12 hard cooked eggs, peeled

½ cup mayonnaise

1 ½ tsp. white wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Garnish paprika

Slice eggs in half lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks, keeping egg whites intact.

Grate egg yolks using small holes of a box grater. Mash together yolks, mayonnaise, and next 3 ingredients. Add more salt or hot sauce, if desired.

Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg whites.

Makes 2 dozen.

Now we can get to the creative part. ‘The Food Network Magazine’ for April had 50 different ways to make deviled eggs. Now I will not give you all 50 but selected some that might just make things more interesting.

Cajun: Sauté ¼ cup each finely chopped Andouille sausage and green pepper in vegetable oil with 1 teaspoon oil with 1 teaspoon each Cajun seasoning and cayenne. Let cool; mash with the yolks. Spoon into the egg whites; sprinkle with more cayenne.

Curry: Mash the yolks with ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro and 1 teaspoon each, curry powder and lime juice. Spoon into the egg whites; top with mango chutney and more chopped cilantro.

Wasabi: Mash the yolks with ½ cup mayonnaise and 4 teaspoons wasabi paste. Spoon into the egg whites: top with chopped pickled ginger and more wasabi paste.

Toasted sesame: Mash the yolks with ½ cup mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Season with salt. Spoon into the egg whites; top with toasted sesame seeds.

California Roll: Mash the yolks with ½ cup each mayonnaise and finely diced peeled cucumber, and 1 teaspoon each soy sauce, rice vinegar and wasabi paste. Spoon into the egg whites; top with small cubes of avocado, crabmeat and nori (dried seaweed) flakes.

Cucumber-Dill: Mash the yolks with ¼ cup each mayonnaise and sour cream and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in ½  cup finely chopped cucumber and 2 tablespoons chopped dill. Spoon into the egg whites; top with dill sprigs.

Pimento Cheese: Mash the yolks with ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon relish and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Add ½ cup shredded cheese and ½ cup chopped pimientos. Spoon into the egg whites; top with chopped chives.

Green and Ham: Puree the yolks with 1/3 cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup each chopped parsley and scallions, and 2 tablespoons capers in a food processor. Spoon into the egg whites; top with strips of deli-sliced ham.

Sausage-Cheddar: Mash the yolks with ½ cup mayonnaise and shredded cheddar. Season with salt and hot sauce. Spoon into the egg whites; top with browned crumbled sausage and chives.

My husband helped me decorate my eggs. He cut some edible flowers and we used the petals for color. We have chives, tarragon, cilantro, and parsley in the garden so they were used also. Use your imagination and see how pretty you can make those eggs!

 

Rutabaga

I received a bag of rutabagas from my very nice propane gas man (who also brings me fresh eggs and turnips) and when I got them I realized I had never cooked a rutabaga. I knew they were similar to turnips and a root vegetable, but I always associated them with a Christmas vegetable. In the south they are dug out of the ground in the early spring. They are a great root vegetable that is full of vitamins and minerals.

The rutabaga, believed to be a hybrid of the turnip and some form of cabbage, has a much more recent origin than the turnip .Some authorities say rutabagas are native to Russia and Siberia; others that the new species was first found in Europe sometime  in the late Middle Ages. It is said there was no record of the rutabaga until 1620 when the Swiss botanist, Casper Bauhin, described it. The word “rutabaga” comes from the Swedish “rotabagge,” rota meaning root. It is often called a Swedish turnip or Swede.

The rutabaga was known in the United States in about 1800 as “turnip-rooted cabbage.” Both white and yellow-fleshed rutabagas have been known in Europe for more than three hundred years. In England, rutabagas were grown in the royal gardens in 1664. The rutabaga is a member of the same genus that cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, broccoli, turnips, and others belong to, the genus Brassica. However, it is a distinct species.

It appears that Mr. Jefferson was one of the first Americans to grow the rutabaga. He wrote of it in a letter of 1795 having just received some seed from a gentleman from Yorkshire who was predicting that it will become the English’s chief turnip.

Rutabagas grow best where the weather is colder, and are principally cultivated in the northern latitudes.  They should be firm and fairly smooth, with very few leaf scars around the crown and with very few fibrous roots at the base. They are better peeled with a vegetable peeler since they do tend to be somewhat tough.

Rutabagas are sometimes recommended for cases of constipation. However, because of their mustard oil content, they are apt to cause gas. They should not be used by anyone who suffers from kidney troubles. They contain more vitamin A than turnips.

You can cook them and serve then as mashed potatoes, chunk them up and throw them in a crock pot with a roast, or cut them up and serve them as fries or chips. Now, that I did not know. I have found that I like them diced and cooked with onions and bacon. I have done this twice now and they are so good. So for 8 carbs per cup, you have a great tasty vegetable!

 

Rutabaga Chips

One serving

1-2 small rutabaga sliced paper thin

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sprinkle of black pepper and salt

Toss the chips with the olive oil, pepper and salt. You could use any other spices if you chose. Lay the chips in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake for 5-6 minutes at 450°. Turn over, and bake for another 4-5 minutes but do not burn them.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Eat the chips as soon as they are cool enough to handle.

 

Rutabaga Hash with Onion and Crisp Bacon

The rutabaga bits cook up tender and mellow, and the dish works as a quick dinner, a side, or for a weekend brunch with poached eggs.

Serves 4-5

4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ¾-inch wide pieces (I used bits of pancetta)

1 ½ pounds rutabagas, ends trimmed, peeled, and cut into ½-diced

1 medium yellow onion, cut into ½-inch dice

2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 Anaheim chile, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½ -inch dice

1 small jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced

¾ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

½ teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Tabasco

Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Measure fat in pan and add oil if needed to make 3 tablespoons. Sauté rutabagas and onion in fat over medium heat until onion starts to soften, 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover lightly with lid or foil, and cook, stirring once, until rutabagas are tender when pierced, 7 to 12 minutes.

Stir in celery, chiles, salt, and pepper; cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until rutabagas are browned and celery and chiles are fairly tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Fold in cilantro and bacon. At the table, add Tabasco to taste.

Crawfish '14

Crawfish are back and I always enjoy trying new recipes for these little mudbugs, although the price is higher this year. Some interesting facts I happened upon regarding Louisiana crawfish: the first recorded crawfish harvest was in 1880 and it was 11.7 tons; in 2011 the crawfish harvest was 63,200 tons; 95% of  U.S. harvested crawfish is from Louisiana; in 2013 the economic impact to Louisiana was $300 million; 70% of Louisiana’s crawfish is eaten locally; and just a final note of interest, Sonya Thomas won the 2013 Rouse’s Crawfish Eating World Championship by eating 3 pounds, 3 ounces (peeled and eaten) in 10 minutes, no less!

While most U.S. crawfish comes from the Bayou State, much of the remainder comes from China. Don’t be fooled by crawfish labeled with a Cajun-sounding name and a picture of Louisiana. Check the fine print for the country of origin.

I tried a crawfish soup lately which was very good. My only suggestion is to add the crawfish closer to the end of the cooking since cooking them for 30 minutes seems to make them somewhat smaller and tough.

 

From Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine, March/April 2014

Crawfish Soup

Makes about 12 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped carrot

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped (I used canned whole tomatoes drained)

6 cups chicken broth

1 (16-ounce) package crawfish tails

½ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (I haven’t planted mine yet this year. I’ve started the tomatoes and should have started the basil.)

1 teaspoon hot sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup heavy whipping cream

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper, and carrot. Cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and crawfish. Bring to a boil. Add lemon juice, parsley, basil, hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Reduce to a simmer, and simmer 26-30 minutes. Stir in cream. Serve immediately.

 

These crawfish pies look just perfect for my next coffee hour in April.

From Louisiana Cookin’, March/April 2014.

Mini Crawfish Pies

Makes 2 dozen pies

1 (14.1ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts

½  (16-ounce) package thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/8-inch pieces

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons chopped chives (Mine are up and large enough to use.)

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup milk

2 large eggs

½  (16-ounce) package crawfish tails, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°. Unroll piecrusts on a lightly floured work surface. Cut 24 (3 ½-inch) circles from crusts, and press into 24 mini muffin cups. Prick sides and bottom of crusts with a fork.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until bacon is cooked and crisp, 22-24 minutes. In a medium bowl, add bacon, cheese, chives, flour, salt, pepper, milk, and eggs. Whisk to combine. Gently  stir in crawfish to combine. Divide mixture evenly among crusts.

Bake on bottom oven rack until lightly golden and puffy, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.