Name: Labne Deviled Eggs with Paprika and Ginger
Ingredients: ¾ tsp. yellow mustard seeds (4 grams); ½ tsp. black peppercorns, preferably Tellicherry (2 grams); 1 tsp. ajowan (1 gram); ½ tsp. sweet paprika (1 gram); ¼ tsp. ground ginger (½ gram); 5 large eggs; 3 Tbsp. labne or plain Greek yogurt; 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil; Kosher salt

Top view of labne deviled eggs with paprika and ginger seasoning covering the egg whites.

Labne Deviled EggsPhoto by Thomas Schauer

They’re a special thing, deviled eggs, and while they seem like a treat that someone took the time to make, at the end of the day, they’re really very simple. I tend to think of them as composed egg salad, something I grew up eating a lot of (and they make a great salad). I play around with the fillings—spicing them up, of course, but also using different creamy elements. To give traditional deviled eggs even more flavor, I sprinkle the usually bland whites with spices, too. It’s as striking visually as it is taste-wise.

Notes

Labne in place of mayonnaise gives the filling a little tang. You’ll still get classic creaminess, as well as mustardy heat. Starting with whole mustard seeds offers a more complex taste than using pre-ground mustard powder.

Ingredients

Main spice blend:

¾ tsp. yellow mustard seeds (4 grams)

½ tsp. black peppercorns, preferably Tellicherry (2 grams)

1 tsp. ajowan (1 gram)

½ tsp. sweet paprika (1 gram)

¼ tsp. ground ginger (½ gram)

Deviled eggs:

5 large eggs

3 Tbsp. labne or plain Greek yogurt

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Preparation

To make the spice blend:
Step 1
Finely grind the mustard seeds and peppercorns together and immediately mix with the ajowan, paprika, and ginger.
To make the deviled eggs:
Step 2
Put the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and then remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Step 3
Tilting the saucepan, pour out the hot water, holding back the eggs with a slotted spoon. Run cold water into the saucepan until it is cold. Cover the eggs with cold water and let sit until the eggs are completely cold. Carefully peel the eggs and cut each in half lengthwise. To get clean cuts, use a very sharp knife and wipe the blade between each cut.
Step 4
Pop out the yolks and place them in a medium bowl, and set the whites on a cutting board. Smash the yolks with a fork until crumbly and add the labne, oil, 1 ¼ teaspoons of the spice blend, and a pinch of salt. Mash and stir until smooth. Season to taste with salt.
Step 5
Rub some of the remaining spice blend all over the cut sides and cavities of the egg whites to coat and set them cut-side up on a serving plate. Divide the yolk mixture among the cavities and sprinkle with any remaining spice blend.
Step 6
Do Ahead: The deviled eggs can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.

Mastering Spice cookbook cover with top view of colorful spices in ramekins.

Excerpted from Mastering Spice: Recipes and Techniques to Transform Your Everyday Cooking © 2019 by Lior Lev Sercarz. Photography © 2019 by Thomas Schauer. Reproduced by permission of Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon.