MAKES 24 DEVILED EGGS
There are parts of the country where you can have a county-wide reputation for your deviled eggs alone. I happen to think mine—with the addition of smoked lake trout—are the best.
11/2 tablespoons finely chopped SHALLOT (about 1 small shallot)
1 tablespoon WHITE VINEGAR
1/4 teaspoon KOSHER SALT, plus more to taste
12 large PERFECT HARD-COOKED EGGS peeled
1/4 cup CRÈME FRAÎCHE or sour cream
2 tablespoons MAYONNAISE or store-bought mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh DILL, plus 24 small fronds for serving
1 tablespoon fresh LEMON JUICE
24 pieces SMOKED LAKE TROUT or whitefish (1 inch wide each, about 4 ounces total)
In a small bowl, stir together the shallot, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to marinate the shallot.
Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Pop the yolks out into a bowl. Arrange the whites cup side up on a serving platter. Finely crumble the yolks with a whisk or fork. Add the marinated shallot, crème fraîche, mayonnaise, dill, lemon juice, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Stir to combine and add more salt to taste.
A perfect egg is one that is not cooked a moment longer than necessary. Most hard-cooked eggs are boiled until they have a gray ring around the yolk’s edge and are so dry you could choke on them. With this method, the eggs are simmered, never boiled; the delicate cooking is the secret. What’s more, it works for cooking any number of eggs.
Put your eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in no more than two layers. Add enough cold water to cover them by at least 1 inch and bring to a simmer over high heat. When the water just begins to bubble, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for exactly 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, create an ice bath in a large bowl. Lift the eggs out of the water and place them in the ice water. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove each egg from the water, tap it on the counter to crack the shell very slightly, and return it to the ice water to chill further. (Cracking the shells allows the cold water to get under the shell and helps loosen the membrane that surrounds the egg, making it easier to peel.) Remove the eggs from the bath and peel them.
To assemble the deviled eggs, using a small teaspoon, mound the filling into each egg white half. Break off a small piece of trout and nestle it into the egg yolk. Top each deviled egg with a dill frond.