Deviled Eggs with Salmon (or Trout) Caviar

Deviled eggs are festive, classic or new, fashionable, and delicious. Everybody loves them, and I wanted to make them with Shorey. The most important lesson in this recipe is proper cooking of the eggs. The details are important: from pricking the round end of the shells to relieve pressure and help prevent the eggs from cracking to cooling the cooked eggs in ice water to avoid the formation of a green tinge around the yolks and the smell of sulfur.

The stuffing mixture, made in seconds in a food processor, combines the egg yolks with cream cheese and a touch of mayonnaise and mustard. I garnish the eggs with salmon caviar, but you can use trout or sturgeon caviar instead. Or you could place a caper or an olive on top of each one, or a small piece of smoked salmon. Use your refrigerator and your imagination.

The deviled eggs can be made a few hours ahead.

Makes 12

• 6 large eggs, preferably organic
• 4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives
• About 1 ounce salmon or trout caviar

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a deep saucepan. Meanwhile, prick the rounded end of each egg with a pushpin or thumbtack.

Lower the eggs into the boiling water, and when the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat so the water stays at a gentle boil. Cook the eggs for a total of 10 minutes.

Pour out the water and shake the pan to crack the eggshells all over. (This will help in the peeling of the eggs.) Immediately cover the eggs with cold water, add ice, and let cool for at least 15 minutes.

When the eggs are cold, peel them under cool running water. Then cut a small sliver of white from both ends of each egg, so the stuffed half eggs can stand upright, and cut the eggs crosswise in half.

Carefully remove the yolks and place them in a food processor, along with the egg white trimmings, cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the chives. Process for a few seconds to combine the ingredients well.

The egg white halves can be stuffed using a spoon, but it is easier to do this with a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Spoon the yolk mixture into the pastry bag and fill each egg white half with a rosette of the mixture.

Arrange the deviled eggs on a plate and top each with about ¼ teaspoon of the salmon caviar. Sprinkle the remaining chives on top and serve.

To see how it’s done, go to www.surlatable.com/jacquespepin.

“I like to cook with Papi because I enjoy learning about his life and listening to his stories.”

—Shorey