Deviled Eggs with Pickled Mustard Seeds

Deviled eggs are always a crowd-pleaser. This version uses creme fraiche for an extra luscious filling that gets balanced out by a topping of pickled mustard seeds. And even if you’re not an expert at piping the filling back into the egg whites, a Jackson Pollock-esque approach to the toppings covers all manners of sins.

Makes 12 deviled eggs 

INGREDIENTS:

For the Pickled Mustard Seeds:

2 tablespoons organic brown mustard seeds

⅔ cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

For the Deviled Eggs:

6 large eggs

¼ to ⅓ cup creme fraiche 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chopped chives, plus more for garnish

¼ teaspoon organic paprika, plus more for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Pickled mustard seeds

Toast the mustard seeds in a small nonstick pan over low heat for about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Bring the white wine vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Once the sugar and salt have dissolved, add the toasted mustard seeds and turn the heat to low. Simmer slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the seeds are pretty soft. Remove the bay leaf and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Gently add the eggs and cook until not quite hard-boiled, 10 minutes. Drop the eggs into an ice bath to cool. 

Once cool, peel the eggs and scoop the yolks out into a large bowl, mashing them with a fork. Add ¼ cup of the creme fraiche and mustard, mixing until smooth (if you feel like you need more creme fraiche to make the filling creamy, add more). Stir in the chives and paprika, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pipe or spoon the filling back into the egg whites. Garnish with additional chopped chives and a sprinkle of paprika, then top with pickled mustard seeds and serve.