Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional Ingredients for the Filling:
- 1½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- Minced onion or shallot
- Dash of vinegar (any kind)
- Lemon or lime juice (and/or zest)
- A few drops of Tabasco sauce
- Tomato salsa
- Salsa verde
- Buffalo sauce
Optional Ingredients for the Garnish:
- Ground smoked paprika
- Smoked salmon
- Pickled shredded vegetables
- Crumbled cheese
- Crispy bacon
- Serrano ham or prosciutto
- Caviar
- Fresh herb sprigs
Method
- Arrange the eggs in a single layer in a pan.
- Add about 3 inches (7½ cm) of cold water.
- Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to a simmer.
- Let the eggs simmer for one minute.
- Cover the pan, take it off the heat, and let it stand for 14 minutes.
- Drain immediately then fill the pan with cold water and ice.
- Tap each egg on the counter firmly until the shell cracks all over.
- Peel the eggs under cold running water.
- Slice each one in half lengthwise and remove the yolks.
- Mash the yolks with mayonnaise and add salt and pepper to taste, along with any other seasonings.
- Pipe or spoon the yolk filling into the egg white halves.
- Garnish if liked.
Notes
- You can pick one or more of the fillings and one or more of the toppings, mixing and matching as you see fit
- Make sure your chosen filling pairs nicely with the garnish, such as buffalo sauce with blue cheese crumbles or lemon zest with fresh dill weed
- Because you don't want the filling to be runny, only add a little more liquid (hot sauce etc) or else sub some of the mayonnaise for it (eg sub ranch dressing for some of the mayo)
- Pipe the filling in with a piping bag and nozzle or spoon it in instead