Lisa Steele grew up in a family of chicken keepers but headed to Wall Street before packing up her briefcase to fulfill her destiny. Now living in Maine, Steele raises fowl and writes Fresh Eggs Daily, a blog that has been viewed more than 50 million times.
Lisa Steele uses a pâte brisée crust for her broccoli cheddar tart, which makes a perfect Easter brunch dish. Photo by Tina Rupp.
Steele has turned her blog into a book that offers advice on how to determine if an egg is fresh, tips for beating egg whites, and recipes for eating eggs any time of the day.
The biggest mistake people make when preparing eggs? Cooking them too fast, says Steele. She says adding water, cream, or milk is a preference, and she usually avoids adding anything else as it dilutes the richness of a fresh egg.
Deviled Eggs with Turmeric
Makes 12 deviled eggs
Anybody can bring regular deviled eggs to a potluck or cookout. But it takes a special kind of person to bring these deviled eggs. I love how the turmeric turns the egg whites a vibrant yellow, which complements the brightness of the egg yolks.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons ground turmeric, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 8 hard-cooked eggs, cooled and peeled
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground white pepper
- Sliced scallions for garnish
- Mustard seeds for garnish
Instructions
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In a medium-sized bowl whisk the water, turmeric, sugar, salt, and vinegar, until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Place the eggs in the bowl, making sure they are covered with water (add a little more if necessary, or use a less shallow bowl). Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours (or overnight), until the eggs are the desired shade of yellow.
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Remove the eggs from the liquid and set on paper towels to dry. Then slice each egg in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the egg yolks with a small spoon and place in a medium-sized bowl. Arrange 12 of the empty egg white halves on an egg tray, discarding the remaining 4 whites or using them later for egg salad or to feed to your chickens.
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Mash the yolks with a fork, then add the cream, lemon juice, and oil and mash until creamy and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
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Use a #30 disher-style ice cream scoop or spoon to mound about 2 tablespoons of the filling into each of the egg white halves. Garnish with sliced scallions, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Serve immediately or refrigerate and eat within a few days.
Part of the beauty of Lisa Steele's lemon meringue pie is that it uses egg yolks and whites. Photo by Tina Rupp.
Lisa Steele says Eggs Benedict, shown on the cover star of her book, "Fresh Eggs Daily," is her favorite egg dish. Photo courtesy of Harper Horizon.