Spicendipity: Recipes for Irish Artisan Spice Mixes, Sauces and Baking Mixes

Devilled Eggs are one of the most versatile and easy hors d’oeuvres you can make.  Just hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise (or crème fraiche for a lighter version) and the seasoning of your choice and you’re away!  I love making these with the Italian seasoning for a lunch-time occasion, whereas the Chilli or Tex-Mex seasoning would work well for a dinner buffet or barbecue.  You can make these as casual or elegant as you like.  Top them with caviar for a fancy cocktail party or just sprinkle some more seasoning on top for a picnic lunch.

Ingredients:
(makes 12)

• 1/2 dozen free range eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise* or creme fraiche
• 1 tsp honey (omit for Italian seasoning)
• 1 heaped teaspoon Italian, Tex-Mex or Chilli Seasoning
• salt and pepper to season
• Garnish of your choice

Boil the eggs until cooked through.

Shell the eggs and slice them in half. Remove the yolk from each half and place in a bowl. Make sure the remaining whites are clean of yolk. Set aside.

Mash the yolks and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix thoroughly until creamy. Season generously, as you are seasoning the whites by using the mixture as well.

Either use a piping bag and pipe the yellow mixture back into the whites, or gently spoon it in.

Garnish as you like.

This is a fabulous hors d’oeuvres or appetiser.  Warm, cheesy and gooey you’d never know that there was lots of goodness in it.  This is perfect for dinner parties or buffets.  Serve with tortilla chips, toasted baguette points or crackers.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of fresh baby spinach or 1/2 pkg frozen, thawed drained and chopped
• About 10 prepared artichoke hearts or 1 can artichokes, chopped
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 1 package of cream cheese
• 1 tsp of Italian Seasoning
• salt and pepper to season

Wash the spinach, if using fresh and sauté in a little butter for a minute or two until just wilted. I find if you put a lid on your sauté pan you will get a better texture, as the spinach steams and sautes. Allow to cool.

Sauté the onion in the butter until just cooked.

Cream the cream cheese with the mayonnaise. Add in garlic, onion, parmesan, mozzarella and seasoning.

Roughly Chop the spinach and artichokes and fold into the creamy mixture. Spoon into a buttered oven dish and bake at 200C/400F for about 20 minutes or until bubbling and brown on top. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.  Serve hot.