Deviled Egg Spread

Want deviled eggs, but don't want to make deviled eggs? This rich and flavourful spread uses the same base ingredients - boiled egg yolks, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard - for a smooth spread that's perfect for slathering onto toast.

6 cups (48 oz) water
2 Tbsp. + ½ tsp. sea salt
1 stalk celery
½ cup (4 oz) white vinegar
4 large eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. aged red wine vinegar
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. fresh chives, sliced
½ tsp. black pepper, coarsely ground

Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

Bring 6 cups water and 2 Tbsp. salt to a boil in a deep saucepan over high heat. Add the peeled celery stalk to the boiled water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and plunge in the ice bath.

Remove the outer stringy layer of the celery with a vegetable peeler and discard.

Add the vinegar to the water, and return to a boil. Add the eggs to the pan and cook for 8 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pan and plunge in the ice bath.

When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and separate the whites from the yolks. Chop the egg whites to equal ½ cup and reserve for Smoked Oysters on Toast if desired. Reserve the remaining whites for another use.

Combine the egg yolks, mayonnaise, Dijon, red wine vinegar and hot sauce in a medium bowl.

Dice the celery and fold half into the egg yolk mixture. (Reserve the remaining celery for Smoked Oysters on Toast if desired.) Stir in the chives, black pepper and remaining ½ tsp. salt.

Makes about 1½ cups.