Some New Friends for the Humble Egg By MARK BITTMAN

Published: May 16, 2007

IF you grew up eating deviled eggs, they are probably a favorite comfort food, something you don’t think too hard about.

If, like me, you did not, they have an oddly exotic air and making them is a treat.

A surprising situation, indeed, for a stuffed hard-cooked egg.

Yet properly treated and with the right seasonings, these eggs are quite delicious. And when you become just a tiny bit more creative and adventurous, they can become almost wondrous.

“Deviling” an egg usually refers to seasoning the cooked yolk with mustard or anything else that is spicy but not necessarily hot. Then you add your favored flavorings.

In recent weeks I have cooked eggs with anchovies, herbs, spinach, salmon, curry, jalapeños, miso, olives, capers, pesto and feta, alone and in combination.

...The principle remains the same no matter what your add-ins are. Hard-cook a few eggs until the yolks are barely firm. Mash the yolks with chopped seasonings, your more substantial ingredients, the spices and mayonnaise.

Then stuff the mashed yolks back into the whites. You can use a pastry bag for this step. It not only makes for a pretty presentation but speeds the process if you’re doing dozens at once. But if you are doing only a few, a spoon works well enough.

A couple of words are in order about cooking eggs. One is that you should never subject an egg to a roiling boil. The other is that an egg should never be overcooked.

The best way to cook eggs is either by steeping or simmering.

Place the eggs in a pot of water, bring the water just to a boil, then immediately turn the heat off. Cover the pot and wait 9 minutes, 10 if the eggs are quite large.

Or, after the water comes to a full boil reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 7 or 8 minutes.

Plunge the just-cooked eggs into ice-cold water: the shock will help separate the shell from the egg.

When the eggs are cool enough to handle, start peeling. Halve the eggs and scoop out the yolks. They should be tender, almost creamy.

Then finish the dish as you like and proceed to enjoy one of the best comfort foods I know.