Deviled egg

The English word devil, in reference to highly-seasoned food, was in use in the 18th century, with the first known print reference appearing in 1786.[4] In the 19th century, the adjective deviled came to be used most often with spicy or zesty food, including eggs prepared with mustard, pepper or other ingredients stuffed in the yolk cavity.[5] Similar uses of "devil" for spiced foods include deviled ham and fra diavolo sauce (from the Italian word for devil).

At church functions in parts of the Southern and Midwestern United States, the terms "stuffed eggs", "salad eggs", and "dressed eggs" occur instead, to avoid reference to the word "devil".[6] The term 'angel eggs' is also occasionally used.[7]

The deviled egg can be traced back to ancient Rome, where boiled eggs were seasoned with spicy sauces and served as a starter meal during gatherings and feasts. Serving eggs while entertaining guests was so common for wealthy Romans, they even had a saying for it, "ab ovo usque ad mala", meaning "from eggs to apples", or from the beginning of a meal to the end.[8]

Recipes for hard-boiled eggs stuffed with herbs, cheese and raisins can be found in the cookery texts of medieval European cuisine.[9]

The earliest known recipe for stuffed eggs, and the one that most closely resembles the modern-day deviled egg, is believed to have been written in the Andalusian region of Spain during the 13th century. According to the English translation of a recipe found in an unnamed 13th century Andalusian cookbook, boiled egg yolks were mixed with cilantro (coriander), pepper, and onion juice, then beat with murri (a sauce made of fermented barley or fish), oil and salt. The mixture was then stuffed into the hollowed-out egg whites, and the two halves of the egg were fastened back together with a small stick and topped with pepper.[10][11][12][13]

The earliest known American recipe for deviled eggs was printed in the Montgomery Advertiser, a local news publication in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1877.[14] The first known recipe to suggest the use of mayonnaise as an ingredient in deviled eggs was in the 1896 version of an American cookbook named The Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Farmer.[15][16][17][18][19]

Cooled hard-boiled eggs are peeled and halved lengthwise, with the yolks then removed. (They can be cut crosswise for more filling). The yolk is then mashed and mixed with a variety of other ingredients.[20] These usually incorporate a fat-based product (such as butter, heavy cream, or mayonnaise) with spicy and/or piquant ingredients to contrast taste (and, sometimes, texture). One recipe has the yolks mashed with mayonnaise, dijon mustard, vinegar, pickle relish and salt and pepper.[9] The yolk mixture is then scooped into each egg "cup" formed by the firm egg whites.

Ingredient choices vary widely and there is no standard recipe. Although mayonnaise is most common, some recipes use butter, and sweet pickle relish sometimes replaces the sour pickles.[21]

Variations

Assortment of deviled eggs

There are many variations on the basic recipe that may add ingredients such as:

• mayonnaise
• cod liver
• diced pickle or pickle relish
• herbs and spices
• vinegar
• mustard
• scallions
• green olives
• pimentoes
• poppyseed
• minced onion
• caviar
• capers
• cream or sour cream

• Egg salad
• Mimosa salad
• List of egg dishes
• List of hors d'oeuvre
• List of stuffed dishes