By Suzanne Corbett, STLSportsPage.com Travel/Food Editor
Eggs are the harbinger of spring, especially those hardboiled.
A hard-boiled egg is one of the essential elements on a Passover Sedar Plate. Easter celebrations for hundreds of years have included brightly colored hard-boiled eggs. Still the Easter Bunny’s traditional choice despite the popularity of candy filled break apart plastic eggs.
Like the Easter Bunny, I’m a traditionalist. I prefer hard-boiled colored eggs even if they are a little tricky to make. A situation made more daunting with eggs prices hitting the roof. Ringing up at over 50 cent an egg you don’t want to mess them up.
To make prefect hard-boiled eggs the recipe is simple. Place eggs (free from cracks) in a single layer of a saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover the eggs by one inch. Heat over a high heat to a boil, then remove from the burner immediately, cover and let stand for 15 minutes (18 minutes for extra large eggs). Drain and cool by placing then under running cold water or in a bowl of ice water. Now comes the hard part, peeling.
Hard-boiled eggs are easiest to peel right after cooling according to the American Egg Board. Cooling causes the egg to contract slightly in the shell. To peel a hard-boiled egg: Gently tap egg on countertop until shell is finely crackled all over. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell. Start peeling at large end, holding egg under cold running water to help ease the shell off.
Another method that circulated the internet a few years back is to place the egg in small mason jar covered with water, replace the lid and shake. Shake for about 30 seconds. Open the jar, remove the egg and the shell slips off – most of the time.
The goal no matter how the egg gets peeled is to produce the perfectly shelled egg. Pretty enough to make into any fancy stuffed egg you like. If eggs are still hard to peel, they may be simply too fresh. An explanation my mother use to say when eggs wouldn’t peel clean. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. The American Egg Board confirms very fresh eggs can be difficult to peel.
To ensure eggs are easily peeled buy and refrigerate them a week to 10 days in advance of cooking. This brief “breather” allows the eggs time to take in air, which helps separate the membranes from the shell.
Once eggs are cooked, in the shell, hard-boiled eggs can be refrigerated safely up to one week. Refrigerate eggs in their original carton to prevent odor absorption. Once peeled, eggs should be eaten that day.
To keep hard-boiled eggs safe, and egg-containing foods, remember to not allow them to sit out for more than 2 hours. Within 2 hours either reheat or refrigerate. This goes for dying eggs, too.
Dye eggs night before and keep them refrigerated until right before the Easter Bunny comes to hide them, then eat or refrigerate eggs afterward. If you’re doing an Easter egg hunt hide, find and refrigerate eggs within two hours. If the eggs are left out for longer than two hours, throw them out along with leftover refrigerated hard cooked eggs that haven’t been eaten within seven days.
I won’t be hiding any eggs to hunt this year but I’m planning on adding a few new stuffed egg recipes to my menu. Many of which I can use for Easter and beyond, courtesy of the American Egg Board.
Deviled Bunny Eggs
12 hard-boiled eggs peeled
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
thin 2-inch-long celery sticks
cut up black olives or mini chocolate chips
thin 2-inch-long carrots
Shredded lettuce
Slice eggs lengthwise in half. Remove yolks, place in a medium bowl. Mash yolks and stir in mayonnaise, mustard and until well blended. Divide yolk mixture evenly between egg whites.
To create each “bunny, use 3 mini chocolate chips – 2 for eyes and 1 for a nose. Or use small pieces of black olive. Place 2 celery sticks near top of “bunny” for ears. Place 4 carrot pieces at an angle under nose for whiskers. serving platter with lettuce. Place bunnies on lettuce and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Sriracha Deviled Eggs
6 large hard cooked eggs, peeled
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
salt to tase
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
rice noodles
oil for frying
Finely chopped scallions
Cut peeled eggs horizontally, scoop yolks into bowl and mash until smooth.
Add sriracha, mayonnaise, rice wine vinegar, salt, and mix until smooth.
For the rice noodles: Fry in canola oil at 350° F until crisp. This happens quickly, drain on paper towels. While still hot and pliable, place in six-ounce bowls to shape and cool.
Season rice noodles with sugar, salt and chili flakes.
To assemble: pipe egg yolk mixture into whites, place each filled half into rice noodle basket, sprinkle with chopped scallions. Makes 12.
Hard-Boiled Eggs Pops
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled
4 thin pretzel sticks, or crisp bread sticks
¼ cup ranch or dill dip
Toppers: crisp bacon bits, chopped red onion, finely chopped fresh carrots, parsley, red bell pepper and or cucumber.
Cut an X in the large end of a hard-boiled egg. Push the pretzel stick in the bottom to make a handle. Top with a little ranch or dill dip and sprinkle with toppings of choice. Makes 4 egg pops.
Breakfast Egg Spread
6 hard boiled peeled eggs,
2 Tablespoons ranch dip
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup crumbled crisp bacon
toasted banquette slices or bagels
Place eggs, ranch dip, green onion, Tabasco, salt and pepper in a processor. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add an extra tablespoon of ranch dip to mix if it’s too dry. Place mixture in a bowl and top with bacon. Serve as a spread on toast. This can also make a great egg salad sandwich.
