Never again will a deviled egg go unpickled in this house. What started as an aesthetic curiosity has now become a cult following, I am that cult, a cult of one. Beet-pickled eggs, wow, I saw a pretty picture on epicurious and had to try them out. What I didn’t realize was that a night spent in vinegar and beet juice would not only make my deviled eggs beautiful, but it would take them to a whole other level of deliciousness, a level that I really would have never imagined possible.

I first made them with a traditional deviled egg filling, classic southern deviled eggs, can’t go wrong with that. They were delicious, of course, the beet-pickled gave them that tang that simple deviled eggs sometimes need. I used a recipe that my friend Regina gave me the 2nd time I made them, this has become my favorite way to make deviled eggs, with a filling of spinach and bacon, truly decadent. These friends, fellow Atlantans, scarfed up those eggs in a few minutes, licking their chops and their fingertips with satisfied pleasure, I must say that it was a proud moment for me. I love someone who can really appreciate a good deviled egg as much as I can.

Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar, plus 3 tablespoons, divided
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, plus a pinch, divided
• 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus a pinch, divided
• 1 small red beet, peeled and halved
• 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup cooked spinach, chopped
• 6 oz. bacon, cooked and broken into bits
• 1 tsp whole grain mustard
• 1/2 tsp relish or chopped pickles
• 1/4 tsp horseradish
• salt & pepper to taste
• paprika for sprinkling

In a medium pot, mix 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 3 cups water. Add the beet and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour into a large heat-safe jar or bowl (including beet). Add eggs, stir, and refrigerate at least 3 hours (stirring occasionally) or overnight for a darker shade of pink.

Remove eggs from liquid. Halve eggs lengthwise, and carefully scoop out yolks. Place yolks in a bowl, and mash with a fork. Mix the remaining ingredients in with the yolks. Fill each egg white with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the egg-yolk mixture and dust the top with paprika.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

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~ by italicious on November 20, 2015.

Posted in antipasti, beets, eggs, gluten free, paprika, spinach
Tags: appetizers, bacon, beets, deviled eggs, eggs, pickled, southern food, spinach