Horseradish and Chive Deviled Eggs

Eggs are some of the best forms of protein out there. I love them so much I eat four to five eggs for breakfast every morning. I usually have them fried or as an omelet, and sometimes hard-boiled. But deviled eggs are a special-occasion dish for me. So they're reserved for those holiday and family gatherings. My uncle was the "deviled egg" eggspert! Although in my Hungarian family we call them kaszinótojás, which translates to casino eggs. I did some research on the name, but there's no relation to gambling establishments. But supposedly the Hungarian version was thought to be the best of all the deviled eggs, or what's more commonly called stuffed eggs. So the idea was that it was the jackpot recipe, one that doesn't mess around.



I like to keep to the idea that deviled eggs should have a little kick, hence the devilish name. For some people that means adding hot sauce, paprika, or chile powder. For me it means adding horseradish. The pairing of ham, eggs, and horseradish is a classic Easter menu in the Hungarian home. So the idea of adding a bit of freshly grated horseradish to my deviled eggs recipe seemed obvious to me. Why hadn't I thought of it sooner!? To add even more zing to my recipe, I also add chives and lemon. Gone are the days of boring deviled eggs. These eggs are eggsiting and the perfect addition to your Easter table.

Horseradish and Chive Deviled Eggs

Note: I like to boil an extra egg just in case one explodes or if one or two eggs cook up with the yolks out of place, so this recipe calls for 7 eggs, but in all likeliness, you'll get 12 deviled egg halves.

7 large eggs
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1/2 lemon)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)

In a small- to medium-size saucepan, add the eggs so that they lay flat. Add enough water to cover the eggs. Cover with a lid, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 13 to 15 minutes.

Pour off the hot water from the eggs, and rinse in three changes of cold water so that the eggs are cool to the touch. Crack and peel the eggs, making sure to remove the skin-like membrane from each egg.

Cut each egg in half and separate the yolks from the whites. Combine the yolks in a small bowl with salt, pepper, mayonnaise, and mustard. Mash with a fork. Using a spatula, fold in the chives, horseradish, and lemon zest and juice.

Transfer the egg mixture to a piping bag fitted with a round tip, or a resealable plastic bag, with one of the corners cut off. Squeeze the egg mixture into the egg white halves. Add each egg to a platter. Garnish with additional chopped chives, grated horseradish, and lemon zest. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you plan to serve them. Yield: 12 deviled eggs.