Crème fraîche makes the most luscious deviled eggs, a discovery I made only recently. For a client who needed some holiday recipes, I was playing around with ways to dress up stuffed eggs without resorting to budget-busting caviar. I landed on crème fraîche, which gives the filling a subtle tang, and smoked trout on top to make them festive. Eureka. Open a sparkling wine or a Riesling and reboot your Thanksgiving relish tray with these two-bite beauties.
Crème fraîche is simply cream that has been cultured to thicken it. The ingredient label should list nothing but cream and culture. You can dollop crème fraiche on top of mushroom or tomato soup, or whip it lightly to stiffen it and pipe it on pumpkin cheesecake.
If you have leftover winter squash or sweet potatoes after Thanksgiving, make soup: Sauté some diced onion, celery and carrot (and fennel bulb if you have it) until soft, then add the peeled squash or sweet potato (cooked or raw) in cubes. Add broth and simmer until all the vegetables are soft. Puree, reheat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in crème fraiche to taste or spoon it on top.
Vermont Creamery Crème Fraîche is an excellent brand, as is Bellwether Farms.
Stuffed Eggs with Crème Fraîche and Smoked Trout
You will rarely have trouble peeling boiled eggs if you follow this method. Be sure the eggs are at room temperature or they may crack when added to the boiling water.
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
Scant 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ to ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
Sea salt
Smoked trout
Fresh dill
Baby arugula
Put enough water in a small saucepan to cover the eggs by about 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so the water just simmers—if it’s boiling too vigorously, the eggs may crack. With a slotted spoon, lower the eggs one at a time into the simmering water. Adjust the heat so the water continues to simmer gently and cook for 9 minutes.
Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water. Let cool, then drain and peel. Cut in half lengthwise and carefully scrape the yolks into a small bowl. Add the crème fraiche, mustard and horseradish. Mix with a spoon, using the back of the spoon to smash any lumps in the yolks. Work it until the filling is completely smooth. (Don’t be tempted to use a food processor; the mixture could break.) Season with salt.
Spoon the filling into the egg halves. (You can use a pastry bag fitted with a star tip for a more formal look.) Top with a small piece of smoked trout and a small sprig of dill. Arrange the eggs on a bed of baby arugula and dill sprigs.
Serves 4