Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Pickled Deviled Eggs with Country Ham & Sriracha Powder

Pickled Deviled Eggs with Country Ham & Sriracha Powder
We had the best meal last night for our Memorial Day Cookout. We made a few things and all of them were just top notch. Our dinner consisted of Pickled Deviled Eggs with Country Ham & Sriracha Powder, Gourmet Chili-Cheese-Slaw Dogs with a bunch of fixin's, & some decadent S'more Brownies Bars that rocked my world. But today, I'm going to start off with the Pickled Deviled Eggs. Do y'all like deviled eggs? I don't. I absolutely don't. I know that's probably sacrilege here in the South. But, they have just always grossed me out. I actually hadn't ever eaten one until about 2 weeks ago when we went to our favorite Atlanta restaurant, JCT Kitchen. Apparently, they are very well known for their deviled eggs that are topped with country ham (sorta like the prosciutto of the South). Well, I had one bite of their eggs, and I was instantly sold. So, I came home and started researching for the best recipe. After looking around, I came across the most clever idea, which involved pickling the hard-boiled eggs with a beet-vinegar mixture. This brine tinges the outside of the eggs hot pink making them absolutely adorable & more likable.   I love that they are pickled because it gives them a nice bite while also taking away some of the sulfur-y egg flavor that has always turned me off in the past. The best part of the pickled deviled eggs are the toppings. I especially loved the homemade Sriracha Powder. It takes on the usual role of a traditional deviled egg that has been sprinkled with paprika. But please, don't skimp out on the country ham topping, it really brings these over the top. If you don't live in the South or don't have access to buying country ham, you could easily substitute it with some prosciutto or serrano ham. Well, I hope that y'all had a happy Memorial Day celebration and some great grub!! Enjoy :)
Here's the Deviled Pickled Eggs with just a sprinkling of Sriracha Powder 
Don't they look purdy all lined up?
I love the country ham topping!!
For the Beet Pickling Liquid:
3C Water
1C Distilled White Vinegar
1 Small Beet, Peeled & Sliced
¼ Vidalia Onion, Minced
1 Clove of Garlic, Minced
1T Brown Sugar
1T Pink Peppercorns
1T Pickling Spice
½t Salt

For the Sriracha Powder:
Sriracha

For the Pickled Deviled Eggs:
10 Hard-Boiled Eggs, Pickled & Sliced in Half
Prepared Beet Pickling Liquid
¼C Mayo
1T Goat Cheese
2t Grainy Mustard
Salt & Pepper, To Taste
1t Fresh Chives, Minced (plus more for garnishing)
Thinly Sliced Country Ham, Torn into Pieces (you need 20 pieces)
Olive Oil, For Drizzling
Prepared Sriracha Powder, For Sprinkling

Directions:
1. For the Beet Pickling Liquid: Cook your eggs by your preferred method, and then peel them. Bring the water, vinegar, beet, onion, garlic, sugar, pickling spice, and salt to a boil in a small pan, and then lower the heat to simmer the liquid, uncovered, until the beet is tender, about 20 minutes. Cool the liquid completely, uncovered. Place the cooked eggs into a container or large Mason jar, and pour the beet pickling liquid over them until they are completely submerged. Chill the pickled eggs for 12-24 hours. The longer the time, the stronger the color and flavor will be, but also the eggs will be firmer in texture. I did 16 hours and loved the results. 
2. For the Sriracha Powder: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silpat. Spread as much Sriracha as you want onto the silpat, making sure it is as thin as possible. Bake the Sriracha for roughly 60-90 minutes, depending on how much you did. The Sriracha should be completely dry and beginning to flake. Using a sharp knife, scrape the dried Sriracha until all of it has been lifted from the silpat. Place the flakes into a plastic bag, and then hit the bag with a rolling pin, so that it is completely crushed and resembles a powder. It should look very similar to paprika or cayenne. Place into a container or jar. Set it aside until you are ready to sprinkle on top of the deviled eggs.
3. Remove the eggs from the beet pickling liquid and pat them dry. Cut each egg in half lengthwise and remove the yolks into a small bowl. Mash the yolks with the mayo, goat cheese, grainy mustard, chives, and seasonings. Whisk until smooth. Place the seasoned yolk mixture into a piping bag, and pipe it evenly amongst the egg white shells. Top each egg with a piece of country ham, a sprinkling of Sriracha powder, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of fresh chives.
4. Serve chilled. 

No comments:

Post a Comment