The Dry Ingredient That Will Heat Up Your Deviled Egg Mixture, According To Alex Guarnaschelli

When seeking a nutritious and delicious snack that's well-suited to any time of the day, hard-boiled eggs are a perfect selection. However, there may come a time when you're in need of a fancier recipe, particularly when entertaining friends and family members. In this case, deviled eggs level up basic hard-boiling to a dish that looks and tastes amazing. McCormick describes the standard deviled eggs recipe, which entails slicing the eggs, removing the yolks, and mixing them with ingredients like mayonnaise, parsley, salt, and mustard powder. Once properly mixed, the yolks are piped back into the egg whites and finished with paprika.

Like many recipes, there's lots of room for variation when making deviled eggs. Just ask the world-famous chef and television host Alex Guarnaschelli. Known for her innovative home-cooked recipes, Guarnaschelli definitely has a flair for culinary inspiration. She also offers her own unique spin on the classic deviled eggs preparation, which has a surprisingly rich history spanning many centuries.

The North Carolina Egg Association lists the birthplace of deviled eggs in Ancient Rome, where the dish is served as an appetizer at the beginning of the meal. However, the recipe was a far cry from the one known today, as the dish consisted of boiled eggs dressed in sauces to add a bit of spice. So-called "stuffed eggs" wouldn't become a thing until the 1200s, which is when the recipe first appeared in Spain. In this case, yolks were combined with seasonings like pepper and coriander before being incorporated into a fermented sauce, which was ladled back into the egg whites.

As for the fiendish name, the secret lies in the intense seasonings associated with "deviling." As explained by Smithsonian Magazine, recipes for deviled foods began appearing during the 18^th century and were typically described as a "highly seasoned dish." Along with eggs, crabs, mutton, and ham were also deviled to the delight of adventurous eaters. People still love teasing their tastebuds with intense flavors, which is exactly why Guarnaschelli added a very special ingredient to her deviled eggs recipe.

Based on her interview with USFood, Guarnaschelli believes that too much heat can actually be a detriment to a dish. That's why she relies on dry ginger as a seasoning for her egg yolks, which she combines with mustard and cayenne pepper. The celebrity chef describes the resulting flavor profile as providing a "little tingle," as opposed to the full-throttle heat associated with spicier seasonings. She finishes off the dish with some crunchy bacon as a topping, which adds a great bit of texture to the softness of the egg yolks.

So, what is ginger and why is it such a culinary powerhouse? As explained by Everyday Health, ginger root is a versatile ingredient that comes in many forms, including dried, fresh, or even as a liquid extract. During the ancient era, ginger was commonly lauded for its medicinal purposes. These days, ginger has many accepted medical benefits, including easing stomach distress, relieving pain, and decreasing blood sugar levels. It can also be incorporated into a variety of recipes, such as soups, salad dressings, baked goods, and more.