Deviled eggs were one of those foods that as a kid, I decided I hated (despite trying them), and very adamantly stuck to that decision. I thought they were so gross, and I never understood why everyone flocked to them at family gatherings, gobbling down one after the other. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I was working in a restaurant and I had to taste everything on the menu, that I tried my first deviled egg. And I fell in love. Silly child me.

Although a bit fiddly, they are so simple to make, and everyone somehow has their own version of the recipe. In my family, my mom makes the most amazing deviled eggs and everyone knows it. They are a bit tangier and spicier than most – just the way I like them. A few weeks ago my boyfriend Alex and I (and our dog Lola) drove to Santa Fe to visit my mom. We had the most incredible visit filled with delicious food, cozy movie nights, and board games on the patio by the fire. It was perfect. I took advantage of the trip to get her famous deviled eggs recipe to share with you all. They go great with margaritas 😉

Happy belated Mother’s Day to my incredible mother Jody, the strongest, most inspiring woman I know.

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Ingredients: (yields 24 deviled eggs)

• A dozen eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 tablespoons mayonaise
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard or dijon mustard
• hot sauce, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Sieve
• Piping bag or plastic ziplock bag
• Star shaped piping tip

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Fill medium pot half way with water and bring to a boil. While the water heats, prepare an ice bath in a casserole dish or large bowl. Gently place the eggs into the boiling water and allow to cook for 11 minutes. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon

Place the cooked eggs into the ice bath and leave them there until they are completely cool.

Gently peel away the shells, careful not to peel away and of the egg whites. Discard the shells and rinse the peeled eggs so that no remaining shell bits are stuck to the outside.

Cut each egg in half.

Carefully pop the yolks out of the egg whites and place them in their own bowls.

Mix all of the ingredients except the salt, pepper and hot sauce in with the yolks. Throughly mash with a fork to get rid of any lumps. Spoon the mixture into a sieve. Using the back of a spoon or your clean hands, press the yolk mixture into the sieve and into a bowl beneath it. This will give you a perfectly creamy consistency. And yes, I now realize I need to buy a new sieve.

The mixture should be smooth and lump-free. Now you can add the salt, pepper and hot sauce to your liking. You can adjust the recipe at this point to however you like it. If you prefer it a little tangier, add more vinegar and mustard. If you want it creamier, add butter or mayo.

Once the filling is exactly how you like it, spoon it into a piping bag or plastic ziplock fitted with a star shaped tip. Pipe the eggs full of mixture. Don’t be afraid of using too much because you won’t run out – remember you’ve added a bunch of stuff to the yolks!

Finish by garnishing with paprika and/or dill.

Serve with cornichons on the side. Margaritas are optional – but highly recommended.

Happy belated Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!

-Kirby