Monday, June 3, 2013

Nora Ephron: The Expectations of Deviled Eggs



The most significant meeting I ever had with Nora Ephron was at the premier party, in New York City, of Julie & Julia. Held at the majestic Metropolitan Club, I was the date of Frances Sternhagen, who had a featured role in the film. Nora and I spoke of the following things, although not, perhaps, in this order: Our love of Frances Sternhagen, Meryl Streep, Joan Juliet Buck, Daryl Roth, and deviled eggs. I don't recall how deviled eggs came up, but it was difficult, I later learned, to speak to Nora without food and books coming up. "I've rarely had a deviled egg that lived up to my expectations," she told me. Weeks later, she phoned me to say that the following recipe came very, very close, but we should keep looking. This recipe, which combines deviled eggs with buffalo wings (trust me) is from the cookbook Deviled Eggs by Debbie Moose.


BUFFALO HORNS


1/4 cup chopped, cooked chicken

Buffalo wing sauce to cover chicken, plus 5 teaspoons

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, cut in half, and yolks mashed in a bowl

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon chopped celery, plus more for garnish

Salt and black pepper to taste

Place the chicken in a small bowl and pour in enough Buffalo wing sauce to cover; let sit for at least 5 minutes.

Combine the thoroughly mashed yolks with the butter. Stir in the Tabasco and celery. Lift the chicken from the wing sauce and drain slightly, then add to the yolk mixture, along with the remaining 5 teaspoons Buffalo wing sauce. Taste, then season with salt and lots of pepper.

Fill the whites evenly with the mixture, garnish each egg half with some chopped celery, and allow to sit at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop.

Number of servings (yield): 12





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