Cumin-mustard eggs with pickled red onion, avocado and roasted pumpkin seeds

It’s that time of year — reunion time. Family gatherings, whether every Sunday or once a year, seem to place particular emphasis on the food. In my family, reunion fare could include a catfish fry or the roasting of a whole hog. But whatever else was served, you could be sure that one dish would find its way to the lengthy buffet table: deviled eggs. And what a mystery those little orbs were to my seven- (or eight- or twelve-) year-old self.

As I grew older and attended fewer family reunions, I encountered deviled eggs on fewer occasions. That was until a few years ago, when they began popping up in restaurants around town. Any upscale eatery claiming a link to Southern fare added them to their menus, often made with a pimento cheese mixture.

I’ve played around with my deviled eggs, which seem to be the perfect blank canvas for many flavorings. I’ve been thinking of serving deviled egg bar at an upcoming gathering at my house. Here are a few different recipes I might use to build my bar. I like them all, but my favorite is the arugula pesto version and I think the dessert egg is fun.

1. Asian-inspired eggs

Asian-inspired egg

Filling:

• 1 doz. hard-boiled egg yolks
• 1/2 c. creme fraiche
• 2 tbsp. chili garlic sauce
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. mirin
• 3/4 tsp salt

Garnish:

• chopped fresh ginger
• chopped green onions

2. Arugula pesto eggs

Arugula pesto eggs

Pesto: (Combine in food processor)

• 4 c. arugula
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c. toasted pine nuts
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic

Filling:

• 1 doz. hard-boiled egg yolks
• 3/4 c. arugula pesto (reserve any extra pesto for another use)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. creme fraiche

Garnish:

• freshly grated parmesan cheese
• peeled grapefruit section

3. Avocado, bacon and corn eggs:

Avocado, bacon and corn eggs

Filling:

• 1 doz. hard-boiled egg yolks
• 3 ripe avocados
• 3 tbsp. bacon fat (reserved from making bacon for garnish)

Garnish:

• squeeze of lime
• fresh raw corn kernels
• crumbled bacon
• cilantro

4. Cumin-mustard eggs:

Cumin-mustard eggs

Filling:

• 1 doz. hard-boiled egg yolks
• 3 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 3/4 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Garnish:

• roasted, salted pumpkin seeds
• pickled red onion
• chopped avocado
• cilantro

5. Dessert eggs

Dessert eggs

Filling:

• 1 doz. hard-boiled egg yolks
• 3/4 c. mascarpone, room temperature
• 3 tbsp. honey
• 2 tsp lemon zest

Garnish

• honey
• lemon zest

How do you devil your eggs?

If you need more inspiration to create your own eggs, check out these recipes from our archives.

• Traditional deviled eggs
• Caviar deviled eggs
• Dirty martini deviled eggs

–by Jenny Turknett, Food and More blog