Make Ahead

Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs

October  4, 2022
4.3
11 Ratings
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Makes 6 halves
Author Notes

Mike and I threw some rather legendary cocktail parties at our Brooklyn apartment, and one thing that always went quickly were my deviled eggs. I make several versions but this one, inspired by the smoked trout deviled eggs served at New York’s Pegu Club, is probably our favorite. The smoked trout flavor is clear but subtle, and whipping the egg yolk mixture in the food processor rather than by hand gives it a light and creamy, almost mousse-like texture which I find really appealing. These make a fine foil for an ice-cold Martini at cocktail hour, and the recipe is easy to scale up for entertaining. You can also make the filling a day in advance, and pipe it into the egg white halves just before serving. - lastnightsdinner —lastnightsdinner

Test Kitchen Notes

Not your typical deviled eggs, lastnightsdinner's version is great for parties—easy and fun finger-food that is a little out of the ordinary. The egg's centers are smokey and salty with a nice mustard punch. Be sure to double or triple the recipe as needed for your next holiday open house. – Stephanie —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs (my foolproof method is below)
  • 2 tablespoons mayo
  • 2 teaspoons good, sharp Dijon mustard
  • a pinch of Kosher or sea salt
  • juice of half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 ounce applewood-smoked trout, skin removed, flaked
  • snipped fresh chives, chervil, or dill fronds for garnish
  • Foolproof Hard-Boiled Eggs
Directions
  1. Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs
  2. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise, remove the yolks, and set the egg whites aside.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the yolks, mayo, Dijon, salt, lemon juice, and smoked trout, and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
  4. Place the egg white halves on a serving plate. Scrape the yolk mixture into a pastry bag (or a zip-top plastic bag with a corner cut off) and pipe the mixture into the egg white halves. Garnish with fresh herbs just before serving.
  1. Foolproof Hard-Boiled Eggs
  2. Place eggs into a pot and cover them with cold water, cover and bring to a boil. Allow the eggs to boil for one minute, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Drain the eggs and plunge them into an ice bath until they are cooled. The eggs are ready to use immediately or can be refrigerated for up to one week. Note: this works best with eggs that have a bit of age on them – ultra-fresh eggs like the ones we get from our farmers’ market don’t peel well, so I usually buy eggs for boiling a couple of weeks in advance.

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35 Reviews

jschlimmer September 13, 2012
Every party loves a pooper, so here I am. The smoked trout would be better appreciated served alongside basic, traditional deviled eggs rather than in the eggs. At many gatherings,I've observed consumption of deviled eggs from multiple kitchens and the first to go are the least doctored. But I enjoyed the adventure of trying something different!
Midge December 9, 2010
Love smoked trout and deviled eggs. Cannot wait to have an excuse to make these.
lastnightsdinner December 9, 2010
I think I'm going to have to make some this weekend :) Thanks!
Sagegreen December 9, 2010
Congrats on your ep! What lovely little gems.
Sagegreen December 9, 2010
And the ice-cold martini foil, heaven.
lastnightsdinner December 9, 2010
Thank you! They really are great with a Martini :)
TheWimpyVegetarian November 27, 2010
I loved this from the minute you first poated this, and am so glad you entered it into this contest! It's perfect!!
lastnightsdinner November 27, 2010
Thank you! I think I'm going to have to make some again soon :)
cheese1227 November 27, 2010
Love smoked trout and deviled eggs!
lastnightsdinner November 27, 2010
If you try this, please let me know what you think! This can be scaled way up for entertaining, but the recipe above is the perfect size for a snack for two :)
monkeymom April 13, 2010
Made this the other day. No cocktail parties in my near future, however, so instead I turned it into an egg salad that was a wonderful lunch at home. It was delicious!
lastnightsdinner November 27, 2010
Love the egg salad twist, and thank you!
merrygourmet April 7, 2010
This is going in my saved recipes file. Thanks for sharing it!
lastnightsdinner April 7, 2010
You're welcome - ou're the reason I posted it ;D I hope you like them!
Michelle A. April 7, 2010
The herbs look so beautiful, do you grow your own or buy them somewhere?
lastnightsdinner April 7, 2010
Hi Michelle - the chives are from our garden, but the little microgreens and flowers underneath the eggs are from Baby Greens Farm in Exeter, RI.
monkeymom April 6, 2010
I have some brightly colored Easter eggs that are destined to become these! The greens and flowers are so beautiful. Thanks for the recipe!
lastnightsdinner April 6, 2010
Thank you - I hope you like them!
darkleafygreens April 5, 2010
Oh boy. Love them Pegu. Love them even more on my back patio with a glass of rose´.
lastnightsdinner April 6, 2010
That sounds lovely :)
thirschfeld April 4, 2010
Those look yum. I have some smoked mackerel I may sub for the trout. I have found the same thing with the fresh and old eggs. I did some testing and found that if I put the eggs into already boiling water and cooked them for ten minutes, they still cook without the sulfur green yolk, and then plunged them into an ice bath they peeled even better than the old eggs.
lastnightsdinner April 5, 2010
Thanks! That sounds like a wonderful alternative - I love smoked mackerel.
MrsWheelbarrow April 4, 2010
Beautiful photo and scrumptious recipe. I'm going to set some eggs aside to age immediately.
lastnightsdinner April 4, 2010
Thank you! Your mileage may vary, but we love these :) Hope you do, too.
TheWimpyVegetarian April 4, 2010
I love everything about these!! Smoked trout is one of my favorite things to play with for appetizers. I'm definitely adding this to my file and it's going to the head of the list. Love, love, love them!
lastnightsdinner April 4, 2010
Thank you! Smoked trout is one of my faves, too.
WinnieAb April 4, 2010
The picture is beyond gorgeous and these sound just incredible. I adore smoked trout and can only imagine that when added to the filling for deviled eggs, it must be fabulous.
lastnightsdinner April 4, 2010
Thanks, Winnie! We really love these.
MyCommunalTable April 4, 2010
First, the picture seems almost edible. Second, don't you just love eggs with fish? Perfect pairing to me. My summers in northern MIchigan would have a lot of white fish with eggs. Also, this is the first that I have heard of "aged eggs" are better for hard boiling, but it sure does make sense. Huh, learning all the time. Bravo.
lastnightsdinner April 4, 2010
I don't know the science behind that "aged eggs" thing, but it certainly seems to be valid. And I love fish and eggs together - not a combo I grew up with by far, but man, is it good. And thank you :)
Savorykitchen April 4, 2010
The "aging" of eggs is supposed to work, because as eggs get older they start to shrink (as they lose moisture). The shrinkage causes the membrane inside the egg to shrink away from the shell, so you get a little air pocket between the egg and the shell. This makes them super easy to peel. Or so I've been told.
MyCommunalTable April 4, 2010
Hey, that was a great explaination. We would saute' the fresh white fish and serve it with sauteed greens and sunny side up egg. Everything super fresh. I can taste it now.
Savorykitchen April 4, 2010
Those eggs are just lovely. My challenge with deviled eggs, alas, is that I never plan ahead and seldom have "aged" eggs. Fortunately, I usually serve them to just Dave and I, so looks are not as important. But Lordy, I have produced some *ugly* eggs!

Do you have a smoked seafood provider you love? I usually end up with Ducktrap, but am always looking for advice.
lastnightsdinner April 4, 2010
Thank you! For smoked/tinned fish in general, I really love Cole's. We may play with smoking our own this year, though. Stay tuned...
Pisanella December 31, 2017
Have you tried peeling the eggs with a spoon? Works a treat, even on fresh eggs!