Olive oil deviled eggs
Inspired by Antoine Westmann’s Oeuf Mimosa
On a recent trip to Paris, I enjoyed deviled eggs made with olive oil, not mayonnaise as my mother used to make them. They came from the kitchen of Le Coq & Fils, a popular restaurant located across from le Moulin de la Galette on top of the Butte Montmartre. The owner is the Alsatian chef Antoine Westermann, whose three-star reputation has included being at the helm of restaurants in Strasbourg, Paris, and New York.
Le Coq & Fils’s menu features the best poultry in all of France. From free-range chicken with regional appellations, to quail to squab, Antoine has it all. Keeping with the restaurant’s theme, my first course was his show-stopping deviled egg which I’ve tried to recreate here. Naturally, Antoine’s rendition was spectacular whereas mine is merely delicious but super easy to make. He uses a Cuisinart to make the egg mixture plus a pastry bag to fill the egg white halves whereas I opted for a simple bowl and a spoon.
It's your choice just how fancy you want the dish to be. These Eggs Mimosa are great for picnics, cocktail parties or as a starter at dinner.
Ingredients:
12 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup EVOO plus 2 Tablespoons for frying shallot and parsley
1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons capers, washed, dried and finely chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch black pepper
Pinch Piment d'Espelette, pepper (or Aleppo pepper)
1 large shallot, finely sliced
6 sprigs parsley, spears removed and florets only
Cooking instructions:
1. Fill a large saucepan with cold water, add the eggs and bring to a boil over a high heat. Turn off heat once a boil has been reached, then cover with a lid and allow the eggs to sit for 11 minutes. Drain and place eggs in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain the eggs.
2. Peel the eggs and split them in half length-wise. Gently scoop out the egg yolks and place in a bowl. Set aside the egg whites for later.
3. The next step can be done either in a Cuisinart or regular bowl, which I prefer so you can control how much olive oil is needed. Using a fork, break down the egg yolks. Then add olive oil, mustard, capers, salt, black pepper and Espelette. Mix thoroughly until smooth and the desired consistency. Don’t hesitate to add more olive oil to get the proper velvety texture.
4. In a small skillet with the extra olive oil, first fry the shallot until golden. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Using the same oil, fry the parsley florets. Be careful not to burn!
5. Using a demitasse spoon, fill the egg white halves with an equal amount of the yolk mixture. Finally, top each egg half with fried shallots and parsley.
Serve: 6
Wine recommendations: Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Assyrtiko, or a sparkling wine such as a Crémant d’Alsace, Crémant de Loire (a Vouvray sec would be a delightful choice) or traditional Champagne, if you want to be fancy.