Deviled Eggs with Caviar – The Party Classic, Done Properly
Deviled eggs have a reputation problem. Too often they are over-mustarded, over-piped and served warm from a buffet table. Done properly – chilled, with a smooth, barely seasoned filling and cold caviar on top – they are one of the best things you can hand someone with a glass of Champagne. The egg does the work of the blini, only better.
Ingredients for 12 halves
- 6 eggs, as fresh as possible
- 3 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- a few drops of lemon juice
- white pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
- 40–60 g caviar – Osietra is beautiful here, Red Pearl if you want colour
How it's done
Place the eggs in cold water, bring to the boil and cook for exactly nine minutes. Straight into iced water afterwards – this is what keeps the yolk bright yellow and stops the grey ring.
Peel, halve lengthways and lift out the yolks. Press them through a fine sieve into a bowl; this is the step most people skip and the reason their filling is grainy. Mix with the crème fraîche, mustard, lemon juice and a little white pepper until completely smooth. Taste – it should be mild. The caviar will bring the salt.
Pipe the filling back into the whites with a plain nozzle, or spoon it in if you prefer things less formal. Chill for at least thirty minutes.
Just before serving, add a small spoonful of caviar to each half and a few chives.
Our tip
Slice a sliver off the rounded base of each egg white so they sit flat on the plate. Nothing ruins the moment like an egg rolling off a tray. The whites and filling can be made in the morning and kept separately in the fridge; assemble an hour before guests arrive, caviar at the last minute.
