Peruvian Deviled Eggs made with aji amarillo for great flavor and a slight kick. Perfect for your holiday gatherings or for using those leftover eggs from Easter.
THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON APRIL 3, 2015
Do you have a few hard boiled eggs leftover from Easter? Need a simple dish to serve for a party, summer gathering, potluck, or a simple snack? You can’t go wrong with deviled eggs, and if you want to kick it up a notch, make Peruvian Deviled Eggs.
Deviled eggs are a simple and popular appetizer with so many variations. Every family has a favorite recipe and this one is my Mom’s. They’re eaten as fast as they are put down on the table. Some people never get a chance to grab one.
My husband and sons are always found hovering over the platter, scoffing them down, one in each hand. It's quite embarrassing, really. I tell them to let someone else have a chance and they look at me, cheeks puffed like chipmunks, grabbing another before walking away.
What makes these Peruvian? The secret ingredient is aji amarillo - a common condiment in Peruvian cuisine which adds medium heat and great flavor. It's not so hot that it burns the tongue, it just gives a little zing.
The other secret ingredient is huacatay which is a Peruvian mint paste which gives these eggs a unique flavor. Before you could order this from easily from amazon, we had to wait until a relative came with a jar of this from Peru. If we didn't have it, I we used horseradish. Nowadays, we can get anything with a click of a button.
I like to keep it simple when it comes to serving. I don’t pipe the filling into the shells, which I admit makes the deviled eggs pretty. I don’t feel the extra work is appreciated because they’re gobbled up quickly. I’m not making them for looks, I’m going for flavor. You can choose whether you’d like to pipe the filling into the shell. I find just a sprinkle of paprika works fine.
HOW TO MAKE DEVILED EGGS
The secret to all deviled eggs is to start with a perfectly boiled egg. You can read dozens of different ways to boil eggs. Some add vinegar to the water, some start with cold water and eggs in the pan then bring to a boil, some poke the bottom round of the egg with a pin before boiling. I have no idea if any of those work because I’ve boiled eggs the same way my family it’s been done for generations, and it’s probably the simplest way. Check out my post on how to boil eggs and see for yourself.
After you boiled the eggs and rinsed them under cold water, you can shake the pot back and forth to crack some of the shells. Don’t go crazy now, we’re just looking to crack the shells. This is not the time to take out your frustrations on an innocent pot of boiled eggs.
START PEELING FROM THE BOTTOM
Mom taught me to always start peeling from the bottom of the egg because there is a pocket of air that makes it easier to start the peel. Once you get that going, the rest is easy. I love it when it comes off in one fell swoop.
After peeling the eggs, slice them in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the yolks and transfer to a bowl and mash it with a fork.
Add the mayonnaise, aji amarillo, huacatay or horseradish, salt and pepper continue to mash until blended. If you don't want to use or can't find the aji amarillo, just substitute your favorite mustard. Add more mayonnaise as necessary to get to the creamy consistency you want. I like it creamy.
Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg whites. Again, scooping it into the shell is pretty enough for me.
Sprinkle with a little paprika.
That's it. Time to eat. You may want to set one or two aside for the cook.
This makes a delicious appetizer or a terrific dish to bring to a party or potluck.
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Peruvian Deviled Eggs
PRINT PIN SAVEIngredients
- 1 dozen large eggs
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste or to taste
- 1 teaspoon huacatay paste See Note 1
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- salt to taste See Note 2
- paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil.
- Gently put the eggs in the pot of boiling water. I use a slotted spoon or a spider skimmer.
- Continue to a boil for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, drain water, and rinse with cold running water until eggs are cool.
- Shake pan gently to crack the eggs.
- Starting from the bottom, peel the eggs and rinse under water. Dry eggs.
- Slice the eggs lengthwise.
- Scoop out the yolks and transfer to a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork.
- Stir in the mayonnaise, aji amarillo, huacatay or horseradish, and pepper.
- Taste and add salt, if needed.
- Place egg whites onto a serving platter or on top of lettuce leaves.
- Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg whites.
- Sprinkle with paprika.
Notes
Note 2: Taste egg yolk mixture before adding salt as the aji may have salt already in the paste.
Nutritional Information
I don't post the nutritional value because I don't trust the accuracy of the nutritional apps. I’m not a nutritionist and don't want to post misinformation.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!