Even those who say they don’t cook can make deviled eggs, one of the simplest of hors d’oeuvres. It’ll take less than half hour to prepare—and they’ll likely be eaten in an even shorter time. This recipe uses tuna, which adds extra flavor without overwhelming the delicate nature of the dish. Vegetarians among your guests? Just nix the tuna and it’ll be just as delicious.
Tuna Deviled Eggs
Makes 16 servings
Recipe courtesy of Benjamin Steak House
Ingredients:
- 8 hardboiled eggs
- 1 can tuna in water, drained
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp spicy Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp onion, finely minced/grated
- Pinch of salt and pepper, to taste
- Paprika, for garnish
- 8 petit stuffed olives, halved, for garnish
Preparation:
Place eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling. Remove from burner and cover pan. Let eggs stand in hot water about 12 minutes for large eggs (9 minutes for medium eggs; 15 minutes for extra large). Cool completely under cold running water or in bowl of ice water and peel.
Cut hardboiled eggs in half, length-wise. Carefully remove the yolk without breaking the white, and collect in a separate bowl. Lay remaining egg whites in a platter and separate. In the bowl, combine the yolk, tuna, mayo, mustard, onion, salt and pepper. Neatly spoon the mixture into the hollowed egg “boats,” lightly sprinkle with paprika, and top with the olive halves.
For a clean presentation, serve on a platter lined with lettuce.
Other than ham, lamb is one of the most popular dishes to serve on Easter. Like most stews, it improves in flavor when cooked a day or two ahead.
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Lamb Stew over Mashed Potatoes
Serves 2 to 3
Recipe courtesy of Benjamin Steak House
Stew Ingredients:
- 1 rack of lamb (approximately 8 pieces, sliced at ¼ inch each)
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups of water
- 1 large tomato, peeled and diced
- ½ onion, diced
- 3 stalks of celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2-3 basil leaves, chopped
Mashed Potatoes Ingredients:
- 10 Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced about ¼ inch
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- 1 stick of butter
- Pinch white pepper
- Salt to taste
- ½ onion (optional)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Place the rack of lamb in the oven, lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, and rosemary; leave in for about 10 to 15 minutes, just until the fat melts away (this burns the grease out so it won’t sit in your stew)
Add the lamb with the remaining stew ingredients to a large pot with 2 cups of water. Leave on low heat for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
In a separate pot, add potatoes and fill with water. Boil for about ½ hour to 45 minutes, until the potatoes are soft, but not overcooked.
If you like your mashed potatoes fluffy, take about ½ an onion, chop it very finely, and when the potatoes are about a ¼ way cooked, add diced onions to the water while the potatoes are cooking.
Once the potatoes are finished, strain them and blend them in a food processor with cream, milk, butter, white pepper, salt, and if necessary, the boiled onions.
When stew is ready, place a layer of mashed potatoes, flattened, in a plate and top with the lamb stew.
