By John Kirkendall
As a kid, Sunday at Grandmother’s was always something to look forward to. The biggest treat was to get there before the chicken was killed. Watching her wring its head off and hang it from the clothesline to flap and bleed was something to put Vincent Price in a trance. We loved it.
When Grandmother traveled, she always brought things home for her yard. Things that caused my mother’s eyes to roll. Gazing balls, fascinating windmills that caused the mechanical man to chop wood, and various bird baths and other paraphernalia.
Sunday dinner was always the same. That was not a bad thing. In fact, it was a very good thing. She made fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and green beans. There was always apple pie with homemade vanilla ice cream. And, after dinner, my brother and I always got a haircut. We had to pay her with a kiss (which we hated.)
There were two horseshoe pits. My dad and Uncle Vernon would pitch horseshoes. The kids were admonished not to come near. Good thing. These guys were not what you might call dead eyes.
In the midst of all this there were the deviled eggs. I loved those almost as much as the chicken.
I was recently reading how to properly serve deviled eggs. Place them on a circular plate and in the center place condiments in silver bowls with tiny silver spoons. For the condiments choose caviar, finely diced red onion and capers. My grandmother would have choked. Deviled eggs are deviled eggs. Forget the nonsense.
Here was her favorite recipe, although I never saw her actually follow it.
Ingredients
1. 1 dozen large eggs.
2. 1/2 cup mayonnaise.
3. 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.
4. 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard.
5. 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
6. Salt.
7. Sweet paprika for garnish.
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, cover the eggs with cold water and bring to a rolling boil. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 12 minutes.
2. Immediately drain the eggs and gently shake the pan to lightly crack the shells. Fill the pan with cold water and shake lightly to loosen the eggshells. Let stand until the eggs are cool.
3. Drain and peel the eggs; pat dry. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully transfer the yolks to a mini processor. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon and yellow mustards and Worcestershire sauce and pulse until smooth and creamy; season with salt.
4. Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (not my grandmother) or a teaspoon fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. Arrange the eggs on a platter, sprinkle with paprika and serve.
Make Ahead
The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
The kids will love you!
Judge John Kirkendall is a retired Washtenaw County Probate judge. He presently serves on the Elder Law Advisory Board of the Stetson University College of Law. He has taught cooking classes for more than 25 years at various cooking schools in the Ann Arbor area and has himself attended classes at Cordon Bleu and La Varenne in Paris, as well as schools in New York, New Orleans and San Francisco. He is past president of the National College of Probate Judges. He can be reached at Judgejnk@yahoo.com.
