Posted on Thu, Jan. 08, 2004

     The recipes

     This recipe appeared in the 1907 Blue Ribbon Cook Book, by Annie R.
Gregory, "assisted by one thousand homekeepers." Published in Chicago, the
book was sold by various newspapers of the time; the crumbling volume on our
shelves has "The Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas)" embossed on the cover
and sold for $2.

     Blue Ribbon Cook Book Deviled Eggs

     Cut in two, crosswise, one dozen hard-boiled eggs. Remove the yolks
carefully, mash them very fine and season sparely with mustard, vinegar,
salt, pepper and a tablespoonful of melted butter. Chicken minced very
finely may be added if desired. Be sure that the mixture is sufficiently
moist and that it is not lumpy.

     Fill the spaces in the whites of the eggs with the spiced yolks;
smooth it even with top; sprinkle with chopped parsley; garnish with the
same and serve cold. Excellent dish for picnic.

     Classic Deviled Eggs

     Yields 12 halves
     6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed
     2 tablespoons mayonnaise
     2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
     1/2 teaspoon mild vinegar
     2 tablespoons sweet-pickle relish
     Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

     Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish with a
sprinkling of paprika or a dab of relish.

     Nutritional analysis per half: 53 calories, 4 grams fat, 1 gram
carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 94 milligrams cholesterol, 72 milligrams
sodium, 70 percent of calories from fat.

     Worcestershire-Pecan Deviled Eggs

     Yields 12 halves
     6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed
     2 tablespoons mayonnaise
     2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
     1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
     1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion or shallots
     2 tablespoons chopped pecans
     Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

     Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish each
with a pecan half.

     Nutritional analysis per half: 59 calories, 5 grams fat, trace
carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 94 milligrams cholesterol, 70 milligrams
sodium, 74 percent of calories from fat.

     Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

     Yields 12 halves
     6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed
     2 tablespoons mayonnaise
     2 tablespoons sour cream
     2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
     1 teaspoon lemon zest
     1 teaspoon lemon juice
     2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill
     3 tablespoons finely minced smoked salmon, packed

     Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish with a
sliver of smoked salmon and a tiny sprig of dill.

     Nutritional analysis per half: 58 calories, 5 grams fat, trace
carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 96 milligrams cholesterol, 69 milligrams
sodium, 74 percent of calories from fat.

     Herbed Deviled Eggs

     Yields 12 halves
     6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed
     2 tablespoons mayonnaise
     1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
     1 teaspoon lemon juice
     3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (see note below)

     Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish with a
leaf of one of the herbs.

     Note: Tarragon, chives and parsley are the herbs of choice here; a
combination of the three works well, but you may use just one or two if you
prefer.

     Nutritional analysis per half: 51 calories, 4 grams fat, trace
carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 94 milligrams cholesterol, 47 milligrams
sodium, 74 percent of calories from fat.

     Deviled Eggs with Shrimp

     Yields 12 halves
     6 eggs, hard-cooked, yolks removed and mashed
     2 tablespoons mayonnaise
     1 tablespoon sour cream
     2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
     2 teaspoons lemon juice
     1 teaspoon lemon zest
     2 teaspoons capers, finely chopped
     2 teaspoons fresh dill, finely chopped
     6 medium to large cooked, shelled, deveined shrimp, chopped fine

     Combine yolks with other ingredients and fill whites. Garnish with a
sprig of dill and/or the tails from the shrimp.

     Nutritional analysis per half: 66 calories, 5 grams fat, 1 gram
carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 114 milligrams cholesterol, 75 milligrams
sodium, 64 percent of calories from fat.

     More variations

     All these use mayonnaise.

     . Texas barbecue deviled eggs: Mesquite-flavored barbecue sauce (or
other store-bought barbecue sauce, as long as it's not a sweet one), grainy
mustard, hot sauce, garnished with a jalapeno slice.

     . Curried deviled eggs, with curry powder, chopped chutney, sour
cream, lemon juice.

     . Cajun deviled eggs, with finely chopped tasso ham, cayenne, spicy
mustard and chives.

     . Southwestern deviled eggs, with chopped chipotle chiles, adobo sauce
and ancho chile powder.

     . Pico de gallo deviled eggs, with pico de gallo and lime juice.

     . Pesto deviled eggs, with prepared or homemade pesto.

     . Mediterranean deviled eggs, with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh
rosemary.

     . Southern deviled eggs, with pimento, bacon, chives and mustard.

     . Caviar-topped deviled eggs, with sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest
and finely chopped red onion, garnished with lemon zest and caviar or salmon
roe.

     . English deviled eggs, with Colman's mustard powder and anchovy paste
or HP Sauce, garnished with a sliver of anchovy fillet.

     . Spanish deviled eggs, with minced roasted red pepper and finely
chopped almonds.

     . Caesar salad deviled eggs, with finely grated Parmesan cheese, lemon
zest and lemon juice, garnished with a little chopped romaine lettuce.

     . Ham-on-rye deviled eggs, with chopped ham, grainy mustard and
caraway seeds.