Slow cooker eggs get devil of a makeover

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Sure everybody knows slow cookers are great for pot roasts, soups, stews and turning tough cuts of pork into melt-in-your mouth goodness. But what I really love to do is use my slow cooker in unexpected ways. Turning tart lemons into silky smooth lemon curd. Transforming a can of sweetened condensed milk into a caramel-like sauce.

Making lasagna. And now deviled eggs.

I don’t know why I never thought of it before. But it makes perfect sense to use a slow cooker for hard-cooked eggs. The controlled, steady heat almost guarantees the yolks won’t develop that ugly green ring from overcooking and it keeps the stove top free for other cooking.

This method works great for classic deviled eggs filled with a mixture of mashed yolk, mayonnaise, mustard and pickle relish.

But in keeping with the unexpected I opted for an Asian spin.

Slow Cooker Deviled Eggs

8 eggs, chilled

1 small shallot OR ¼ small sweet onion, finely minced

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 ½ teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons (or to taste) Asian chile sauce or paste such sambal olek or sriracha

¼ teaspoon salt OR dash soy sauce

Minced chives or green onion tops

Place eggs in a single layer in the cooking vessel of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.

Add enough water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover and cook on high for 1 ½ hours. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs to a bowl filled with cold water.

When cool enough to handle, peel eggs.

Slice the peeled eggs in half lengthwise. Place the whites on a platter. Place the yolks in a mixing bowl. Mash yolks with a fork, then stir in the mayonnaise, ginger, chile sauce and salt. Fill whites with yolk mixture. Garnish with minced chives.

Makes 16 deviled eggs.

Recipe adapted from The Great American Slow Cooker Book by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

Food, Pages 33 on 01/01/2014