For The Best Deviled Eggs Of Your Life, Fry Them
Nothing disappears from the potluck table quite as fast as a plate of deviled eggs. These protein-packed crowd-pleasers are creamy, zingy, bite-sized (or thereabouts), and endlessly customizable. If you're a deviled egg stan, it may be difficult to imagine how this quintessential party food could be made even better, but here it is: deep-fried deviled eggs.
All it takes is adding a couple of steps to your tried-and-true deviled egg recipe. Once you've hard-boiled your eggs, halved them, and remove the yolks, dip the whites into flour, then an egg wash, and finally bread crumbs. Heat a few inches of oil in a large saucepan and fry the eggs until they're a lovely golden brown. Once you've removed them from the oil, pipe in your favorite filling as usual.
Now, a fried deviled egg may sound radically decadent, but if you know anything about the history of deviled eggs, this is more akin to their roots. An "Anonymous Andalusion Cookbook" from the 13th century reports a recipe for fried stuffed eggs seasoned with cilantro, onion juice, and other spices. But, if you're still not convinced, there's always the option to break out your air fryer for a less oily approach.
Turning up the tang
A key part of cooking, no matter what you're making, is achieving a good balance of flavors. While a great deviled egg recipe will harmoniously integrate the creaminess of mayo with the spiciness of mustard and the sourness of the pickles, you may find that frying them throws off that perfect balance due to the fattiness of the oil. In this case, amp up flavors that will cut through the fatty quality.
Many deviled egg recipes use a splash of vinegar in the filling anyway; add more if you still want the classic deviled egg taste, only a bit more intense. Or, you could add your own secret ingredient to your deviled eggs, such as curry powder or dill. Garlic, capers, and lemon zest are other bright flavors that can offset the heaviness of the breaded egg, while jalapeños and similar peppers can add just the right amount of spice.
It may be easiest to add your new flavors to the filling itself, but another option is to mix some into the egg wash. Drench your floured egg halves in a mixture of beaten eggs, spicy mustard, mayo, and possibly other spices before dipping them in the bread crumbs for an even more flavorful bite.