Trio of Devily Eggs
Taking the rush out of a busy day begins with the comforting, slow-paced preparation of Trio of Devily Eggs, cooking each component with slow-paced care to ensure a relaxed rhythm in the kitchen, which fosters warm culinary anticipation and makes cooking a relaxed, joyful expression of care. Chilling the mixture thoroughly allows the natural fats and emulsifiers to solidify, setting the dish into a structurally stable, velvety matrix. This stunning dish serves as a refined centerpiece for a party of eight, offering a quiet luxury dining experience that turns a simple dinner into a memorable estate gathering.
Trio of Deviled Eggs You MUST have deviled eggs at a picnic, and these are just the eggs to impress your pals.
Ham and Egg Filling
Trio of Devily Eggs
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Virginia ham
- 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved, separate yolks from whites
- ½ cup homemade or prepared mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 4 ounces roasted chicken
- 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved, separate yolks from whites
- ½ cup homemade or prepared mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon red onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved, separate yolks from whites
- ½ cup homemade or prepared mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 (9-inch) homemade or prepared pie crust
- ½ pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely diced, about 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 pound fresh spinach leaves, about 4 cups (or substitute with 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and
- 1 teaspoon dried Herbs de Provence
- 8 ounces smoked Gruyere cheese, grated, about 1 cup
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 heads garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Herbs de Provence
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced, about 1 ½ cups
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed and chopped, about 1 cup
- 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 4 cups homemade or prepared low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ¾ cup tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 large hoagie roll
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 2 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded, about ½ cup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place the ham and egg yolks into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the mayonnaise, pickle relish, minced onion and fresh cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse until the filling is the consistency of thick paste. Spoon the filling into a sandwich size plastic bag. Squeeze the filling to get all of the air out. Cut the corner from the bag and pipe the filling into the egg whites.
- Which Came First? The Chicken or the Filling?
- Place the chicken and egg yolks into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the mayonnaise, minced onion, basil and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse until the filling is the consistency of thick paste. Spoon the filling into a sandwich size plastic bag. Squeeze the filling to get all of the air out. Cut the corner from the bag and pipe the filling into the egg whites.
- Naked Egg Filling Place the egg yolks, mayonnaise and dill into the bowl of a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse until the filling is the consistency of thick paste. Spoon the filling into a sandwich size plastic bag. Squeeze the filling to get all of the air out.
- Cut the corner from the bag and pipe the filling into the egg whites. Garnish the eggs with an extra bit of fresh herb, an extra grind of black pepper, or crumbles of crisp pan fried Prosciutto.
- This savory tart is the perfect dish for an outdoor picnic brunch table. You can bake it in advance and serve it the next day at room temperature. drained) Preheat the oven to 400°. Unroll the pie crust and press into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom.
- Pierce the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. Bake until the pie crust is golden, about 9 to 12 minutes.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet, over medium high heat, until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off the bacon drippings.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in the skillet, over medium high heat. Cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. The diced onion should be golden and slightly syrupy. Transfer to a bowl. Add the spinach to the skillet and cook until just wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with Herbs de Provence and set aside.
- Carefully slide the baked tart shell onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle the bacon onto the bottom of the baked tart shell. Cover the bacon with grated cheese. Cover the cheese with the caramelized onion. Spread the spinach over the top. Whisk together the eggs and cream, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Carefully pour this mixture over the ingredients in the tart. Place the baking sheet with tart into the oven. Bake until the egg mixture puffs and is golden, about 30 minutes.
- If not serving immediately, cool the tart to room temperature. Wrap the tart in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and remove from outer ring before serving.
- This soup is so velvety and delicious that one might think it takes hours upon hours to cook... NOT. You can prepare this soup in under an hour, which makes it perfect for a spur of the moment Sunday afternoon picnic.
- Roasted Garlic Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut off the top third of each head of garlic and discard. Place the heads onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle the cut side with olive oil, salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence. Fold up the foil around the garlic, leaving a small hole at the top. Place into the oven and roast until the cloves are golden, soft and popping out of their skins, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Tomato Soup Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Stir in the onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the veggies with flour and cook for several minutes more. Stir in the broth, crushed tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cook until the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Add the roasted garlic and basil and cook for 1 minute more. Cool the soup. Transfer the soup in batches to a food processor or blender and pulse to emulsify.
- Pour the soup back into the pot over medium heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat.
- Grilled Cheese Croutons Preheat the oven to 350°. Slice the hoagie roll in half horizontally. Spread the butter over the cut sides. Lay the cheese on top of one butter-slathered slice of the roll. Place the other half on top of the cheese. Smush the roll down so that the cheese sticks to the butter inside. Brush the top, sides and bottom of the roll with olive oil.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Slice into 1-inch cubes. Bake until golden on all sides, turning every so often, about 3 to 5 minutes total.
- Pour the soup into an insulated beverage container. Pack the croutons into an airtight container. Serve the soup with a garnish of extra basil leaves and top with 1 to 2 croutons.
To prepare perfectly cooked eggs, start with eggs that are not quite fresh. Fresh eggs are harder to peel than those that are several days old. Lay the eggs into the bottom of a pan. Cover with cold water. Place a lid on the pan. Bring the water to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the covered pan for 13 minutes. Carefully drain the hot water from the pan. Cover the eggs with cold water and a layer of ice cubes. When the eggs cool, drain the water from the pan and transfer them to a bowl in the fridge until you're ready to peel. If you are a bit adventurous, try making hard boiled duck eggs purchased from your local farmer's market or CSA farm. The yolk is luxuriously rich, and the eggs are larger than chicken eggs.
Smoked Gruyere Cheese Tart with Spinach and Bacon
You can prepare your own pie crust and chill in the fridge for several days until you're ready to roll out a tart. Place 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of salt into the bowl of your food processor. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) of chilled butter, cut into pieces. Pulse to form coarse crumbs.
Slowly pulse in 6 to 8 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse just until the dough comes together around the blade. Spill the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a round. Wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to use.
Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
The Heart of the Table
The inviting, savory aromas of fresh garden aromatics and the cool sight of this trio of devily eggs pull guests toward the dinner table. Sharing this comforting classic with friends and neighbors celebrates our heritage, creating lasting connections and cool evening laughter.
The Art of the Host
- a solid copper balloon whisk to perfectly aerate ingredients
- a pair of professional-grade stainless steel locking kitchen tongs
- a well-seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet with dual pour spouts
- a 7-quart enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with dual helper handles
- a seamless, high-heat resistant silicone spatula in a soft slate grey
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Present the centerpiece family-style on a large, estate-style pewter platter placed in the center of the table, resting on a thick trivet of reclaimed barn wood. Drizzle a rich, glossy reduction over the top to highlight the caramelized textures, and surround the dish with fresh rosemary sprigs and roasted garlic heads. Set out warm stoneware dinner plates in a muted charcoal tone, accompanied by polished brass serving utensils. This abundant display invites guests to help themselves, creating an immediate, relaxed atmosphere of sharing and hospitality.
- THE POUR: For a sophisticated accompaniment to the light, herbaceous profile of the Trio of Devily Eggs, we suggest a vibrant, high-acid Grüner Veltliner from Kamptal, Austria. The wine's palate displays crisp white pepper, green apple, and citrus blossom notes that play beautifully with the fresh green herbs and radishes. Serve chilled at 45°F in a tall, slender white wine glass. For the non-alcoholic alternative, serve an artisanal cucumber-elderflower pressé with fresh mint, chilled to 38°F in a delicate highball glass over clear cracked ice. It provides a cooling, floral freshness that keeps the entire breakfast experience clean and uplifting.
- THE VIBE: Create a cozy, inviting atmosphere for a party of eight in a sun-drenched sunroom, where floor-to-ceiling windows catch the soft, golden morning sunbeams. Let the air carry the gentle, acoustic sounds of front-porch bluegrass—featuring the warm, finger-picked melodies of Doc Watson or Tony Rice playing softly in the background to set a relaxed, nostalgic tempo. Keep the lighting completely natural, allowing the morning sun to filter through leafy houseplants and illuminate the casual family chatter. Arrange plush, comfortable seating with plenty of soft linen throw pillows, encouraging guests to linger long after the meal is finished.