Pickled Deviled Eggs (Recipe)

For a slightly different spin on the traditional deviled egg, pickled deviled eggs add a tangy balance to the whole experience. After tasting a version of this at a local restaurant, I thought I'd go home and try my hand at it. This has become one of my go-to items for potlucks or a pre-dinner happy-hour finger food for dinner parties. I've even turned some people who previously stated they did "not like" deviled eggs into deviled egg lovers.

Another thing I discovered, is that deviled eggs are almost like pizza, as you can put almost anything in them and they will always be delicious.

Here's what you'll need:
7 large eggs (chicken or duck)
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 small cooked red beet (optional for colorful eggs)
1/8 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. finely chopped green olives (2 or 3 olives depending on size)
1 tbsp. finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tbsp. honey mustard (or equal parts dijon mustard and honey)
1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
1/4 tsp. pepper or to taste
1 slice cooked bacon (optional for garnish)
Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional for garnish)
A few sprigs of cilantro (optional for garnish)

Here's what you'll do:
- Place eggs in a small pot, fill with water until just covered. Put on high heat until the water comes to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, turn heat off, cover pot and set timer for 12 minutes.
- As soon as the timer goes off, pour off the hot water in the sink, set the pot into the sink and run cold water over the eggs for 2-3 minutes or fill pot with water and add some ice.
- Peel the eggs as soon as they are cool enough to handle (I find this prevents the shells from sticking too much) and set aside.
- In a small container that can comfortably fit 7 eggs (or 6 if you need to "taste test" one), mix, with a fork, the rice vinegar, red wine vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
- Slice the red beet into thin sheets and layer on bottom of container to simultaneously make pickled beets and color your eggs a nice purple-reddish hue (this step is optional).
- Add the eggs, cover and let them pickle in the fridge for 24 hours up to 48 hours, spinning each egg once so all is pickled evenly. If vinegar does not mostly cover the eggs, add some water until eggs are mostly covered or use a smaller container.
- Remove eggs and place on paper towels to drain while you prepare your filling ingredients.
- Keep beets in the vinegar mixture in the fridge and use them for sandwiches or salads. This vinegar can be used once more for pickling or for salad dressing. Since vinegar is a preservative, it will keep in the fridge almost indefinitely.
- Cut each egg in half and scoop out the yolk into a bowl.
- To the yolks, add the mayo, green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, honey mustard, salt and pepper.
- Smash the yolks and mix very well with a fork or spoon, tasting as you go to adjust any ingredient.
- Scoop yolk mixture into a baggie, cut off one corner and pipe into your egg halves.
- Place a piece of bacon, Parmesan cheese and cilantro leaf on each egg for garnish and serve.
- Enjoy!