I recently enjoyed a fabulous lunch with my family at Rutherford Grill in Napa Valley, CA. When I saw deviled eggs and cast iron skillet cornbread on the menu I knew one of their chefs must have Southern roots. I’ve found that no matter where you travel, people love Southern food and can’t get enough of it!

Napa Valley Deviled Eggs

6 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup tablespoons full fat mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons celery, ¼ inch dice

Place 6 eggs in a single layer in a large pot. Add 2 teaspoons iodized salt (this is my cousin Suzanne Moore’s secret for getting the eggshells not to stick to the egg whites). Bring to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain. Refill pot with cold water. Wait 10 minutes. Gently tap all sides of eggs on countertop. Peel under running water. Dry eggs with a paper towel.  Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Set whites aside.

Remove egg yolks and place in a mini food processor or blender. Process egg yolks for 1 minute then add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and kosher salt. Process again until smooth. Pour egg yolk mixture in a bowl. Stir in pickle relish and diced celery. Fill egg white halves with egg yolk mixture.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Published in The News and Neighbor on June 22, 2013