Classics revisited | The metamorphosis of the deviled egg

After the Christmas canes, Billy Galindo, from the Billy counter, I’m hungry!, introduces us to Christmas canes by concocting an improved recipe for deviled eggs with the ingredients he likes, zested with a southern accent from France.

The little story

Very simple to prepare, mimosa eggs have had many ancestors since the Middle Ages in the form of variants of stuffed eggs, culminating in the early 20th century.^e century, with the typical recipe based on mayonnaise and parsley. How did they end up on our Christmas tables? Well, there really isn’t an official explanation, so let’s allow ourselves some speculation. In particular, you should know that the recipe included, in the 1910s, a stuffing of foie gras puree covered with mayonnaise, crumbled yolk and chopped parsley. Subsequently, seafood was invited, particularly shrimp, which gives the deviled eggs a little festive air, let’s admit it. Finally, we can assume that the speed and simplicity of preparation make it an ideal candidate for cooks who are very busy in the kitchen at the end of the year.

Billy Galindo’s version

Knowing that chef Billy Galindo swears by duck eggs since his time at the Darna restaurant, it was natural that we turned to him to revisit deviled eggs. “The yellow is creamy, with more flavor, and the white is firmer. It’s also better for your health in terms of cholesterol,” explains the owner of Billy, I’m hungry!, located on rue Saint-Denis.

Building on this original base, he imagined a reinterpretation based on Quebec products, like the menus of his establishment, but with references to the south of France – he is originally from Aveyron. The driving idea: to make a nod to rouille, a sort of Mediterranean mayonnaise served on croutons. “In France, fish soup normally comes with rouille, croutons and cheese. The mayonnaise makes the binder. At the restaurant, the fish soup that I serve is made with halibut, char and a touch of Ricard, but we find the taste of a fish soup from the south of France,” he says.

Its version of the mimosa egg contains garlic from Quebec, giving it a double regional accent. “I put a lot of garlic everywhere in my kitchen, we find my origins there,” confesses Mr. Galindo. The latter was also inspired by… the consumption habits of its Quebec customers, which resulted in the addition of straw potatoes under the egg. “A lot of customers order me fish soup with fries, especially old men who dip their fries in the soup. I never thought I would do that! But obviously, it works,” marvels Mr. Galindo, who took the opportunity to create a charming aesthetic, the arrangement of the thin fried matches evoking a bird’s nest.

Proof that the mayonnaise has set well, the “mimosa duck egg, rouille and straw potatoes” has been added to Billy’s menu, I’m hungry!

Mimosa duck egg, rouille and straw potatoes

Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients for fried garlic chips and straw potatoes

• 1 clove of Quebec garlic, peeled and cut into thin slices
• 2 large russet potatoes
• 2 liters canola oil for frying
• Fine salt, to taste

Ingredients for deviled eggs

• 5 duck eggs (with white duck)
• 1 clove of Quebec garlic
• 1/4 tsp. teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Juice of 1 lemon
• A few pistils of saffron
• Smoked paprika, to taste
• 250 ml olive oil
• Chives, finely chopped, to taste
• 1 liter of fish soup (Billy, I’m hungry!) (optional)

Preparation of fried garlic and straw potatoes

• 1. In a pot deep enough for deep frying, heat canola oil to 145°C (295 ^oF).
• 2. Place the thin slices of garlic in the oil, fry until browned (be careful, it’s quick!). Remove with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper. To book.
• 3. Peel the potatoes. Cut into julienne strips, then wash in plenty of cool water to remove the starch. Dry in a cloth.
• 4. Raise the oil temperature to 175°C (350 ^oF). Dip the julienned potatoes into the oil and fry for no more than 2 minutes. Stir them with the skimmer to prevent them from clumping.
• 5. Season with fine salt, after placing them on absorbent paper to remove excess fat. To book.

Preparing deviled eggs

• 6. Cook four eggs for 12 minutes in boiling water, then put them in cold water to stop the cooking. Take the remaining raw egg and divide the white and yolk. Reserve the yolk and keep the white for another use.
• 7. Peel the four cooked eggs, cut them lengthwise, then separate the whites from the yolks.
• 8. Crumble the yolks with a fork and divide into two equal parts.
• 9. Peel the garlic clove and crush it in the bottom of a bowl. Add the raw egg yolk, half of the crumbled yolks, the mustard, the lemon juice, then a few pistils of saffron and the smoked paprika, to taste. Whip the mayonnaise with a blender, adding the olive oil in a drizzle, until the desired consistency.
• 10. Fill the half-whites with this preparation, then sprinkle each half-egg with the reserved crumbled yolks.
• 11. Arrange the eggs on the straw potatoes, put a garlic chip, a saffron pistil, chives on each egg and finish with freshly ground pepper.
• 12. Serve a small cup of fish soup for an even more delicious starter. Enjoy your food !