I was recently served a bafflingly delicious plate of hard-boiled eggs: Sliced in half and covered in a thin reddish sauce, they were creamy, spicy, and addictive, yet humble, too.
When I asked Kenzi Wilbur what exactly was in the topping that made the eggs so special (was it pimentón aioli? some sort of hollandaise?), she told me that it was a mere smear of mayonnaise—an idea she thinks she picked up from Canal House—loosened with a glug of hot sauce, the two melting together under the summer heat.
These were, in other words, the absolute laziest version of deviled eggs. Mayo plus hot sauce plus egg equals magic, so there's no scooping or scraping or food processing or, heaven forbid, piping necessary.
While I felt a little silly to have fawned over such simple eggs, I was floored by the simplicity of it all—how the addition of two ingredients could roll a regular hard-cooked egg right into the territory of presentable entertaining hors d'oeuvre (and conceal any chalky yolks or rubbery whites, at that).
Need I walk you through making them? Hard-cook eggs in any way that works for you. (Since my stove is broken, I've called upon the Instant Pot, which grants me, like an appliance genie, perfectly-cooked, easily-peeled eggs every time.) Peel 'em (it doesn't have to be a struggle!), split 'em, then add a swipe or spoonful of mayonnaise and a drop (or more) of your favorite hot sauce. If you're up for it, sprinkle the eggs with S&P and snip over some herbs.
Taste one and you may have a hard time returning to unadorned eggs ever again. (Consider this your warning. And also your reminder to buy—or make—more mayo.)
Whether you present these as lazy-as-can-be deviled eggs or as modernist interpretations of egg salad? Well, let that be determined by how snooty you (or your guests) are feeling that day.
How do you spiff up a hard-boiled egg? Tell us in the comments.
Written by: Sarah Jampel
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