Deviled Eggs (aka Dev-aiolied Eggs?)

Ok, before we get to the deviled eggs, it's time to tell you about the source of my eggs: my three girls, my beautiful, fluffy, sweet girls who rush to see me when the back door opens and peck at my toes.

Last July, we went on the City Chicken Coop Tour in Seattle and were smitten by the hens we saw. Backyard chickens had been on our mind for quite some time. Six years ago our family debated the virtues of getting chickens versus a second dog. A second dog won out and Boots (a Dachshund-Chihuahua mix) joined Augie (a Dachshund) in our family. Boots and Augie are a wonderful pair of pups so it was a terrific decision.

Fast forward five years and the hankering for fresh eggs in our backyard persisted. After going on the tour and viewing gorgeous coops, we got to work. The baby chick season is roughly March, April and May, so we had missed our window to get local chicks from a feed store. Instead, our lovely ladies were ordered online and came in the mail! We got a call from the post office to pick them up when they arrived. The post office was quite loud with little cheeps… apparently two other families had ordered chicks, as well. We opened our box, and this is what we saw:


At home, we set up a brooder in our garage which is where the girls lived for five weeks while they grew and feathered enough to be outside. Beach chairs were set up around our “chicken stadium” and we sipped wine and visited with guests while admiring our adorable balls of fluff.

They did not remain fluff balls for long, though. Chickens are fast growers and before we knew it we had three hens! In January, they began laying eggs and can I tell you the joy I feel every time I gather one of their perfect, warm eggs? I just marvel at Mother Nature. And the flavor of the eggs? Nothing compares. They provide endless entertainment out the kitchen window, too. Best of all, Boots and Augie roam freely with them.

Meet our girls, Bess, Eleanor, and Ladybird:


Now back to the deviled eggs!

Deviled Eggs (aka Dev-aiolied Eggs)
Serves 6

I wanted to create a little color contrast between the egg whites and aioli on top, so added some tomato paste to the filling. If you have any aioli leftover from the Roasted Tomato Fritters, this is a great way to use it since you do not need much.

Aioli:

1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups grapeseed oil
1/4 cup olive oil

Egg Filling:

6 hard boiled eggs
2 tablespoons aioli, plus extra to top eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, mashed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chives, minced, plus extra for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk the egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and salt together. Add the grapeseed oil slowly and whisk quickly to incorporate. Next whisk in the olive oil, slowly adding and incorporating. Makes 1 cup. You will have aioli leftover from this recipe, so save the extra to enjoy with grilled veggies, fish or Roasted Tomato Fritters.

Peel the hardboiled eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Arrange the whites on a serving platter. In a small bowl, mash the egg yolks. Add the aioli, lemon juice, tomato paste, garlic, paprika, chives, salt and pepper and mix until smooth.

Spoon the egg filling into a small ziploc bag and snip a tiny hole in one corner. Pipe the filling into the egg whites.

Spoon a little bit of aioli into another small ziploc, snip the corner and squeeze little dollops on top of eggs. Garnish with reserved chives and serve.

Roasted Tomato Fritters with Aioli

Who doesn't love a fritter? Memorial Day weekend is approaching and I'm thinking of a yummy appetizer that can be served at your barbecue. I don't know if we'll have barbecue weather in Seattle... lots of rain forecasted. But we can still celebrate and eat some tasty bites. Aioli is wonderful to dip in and tomatoes always go well with it.

Roasting tomatoes gives them a whole new depth and sweetness. Roast some extra to keep in your refrigerator to add to salads or grain dishes. I am playing around with different flours these days, so decided to try barley flour which gives a nutty sort of flavor. You could also use spelt, whole wheat pastry, white flour or a mix of these.


Roasted Tomato Fritters
Makes 24 small fritters

2 pints cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for frying
1 cup barley flour
1/4 cup chives, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread on baking sheet. Roast the tomatoes for about 45 mintues, until they are split and starting to shrivel.

In a mixing bowl, scrape the tomatoes in with their juices. Add the flour and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix well and mash the tomates into the mixture. Stir in the chives, salt and pepper.

Set a medium sized fry pan over medium high heat to warm. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then drop teaspoon sized dollops of the fritter dough onto the pan. Flatten slightly and fry until golden brown. Turn the heat down to medium if they are getting dark too soon. Flip and fry the other side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil. Serve with the aioli for dipping (recipe follows).

Aioli (adapted from food52.com):

1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups grapeseed oil
1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk the egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and salt together. Add the grapeseed oil slowly and whisk quickly to incorporate. Next whisk in the olive oil, slowly adding and incorporating. Makes 1 cup