Its hard to believe but December is well underway and that means its officially winter. Few things say winter to me more then Chicken Stew.

This is a staple Chicken Stew recipe, the one that my grandmother taught my mother and my mother taught me: Not in a step by step, 2 cups of this, 1/4 cup of that, kind of way but in a way that involves a good 20 years of winters in the kitchen and at the dinner table; watching smelling and eating. One thing I love about this recipe is that I don’t need a recipe, its very intuitive and it tastes exactly the same every time, even if its been a long hot summer since I made it last.

Growing up we usually ate it over rice, egg noodles or wheat Biscuits, which is how we enjoyed it in our house it this past weekend.

I posted the recipe for the biscuits a while back on this blog in “Not Just Another Biscuit Recipe”. If you have never made biscuits before now it’s the time to start. They are faster and easier to make then rice and together with this stew make a meal that has potpie beat for a mile.

Here is what I used

About 6 Skinless Chicken Thighs, bone in + A few chicken wings

Use whatever cut of chicken you like, I like the combination of wings and thighs because I find its the best quality of flavor and meat. If you have feet at your butcher or grocery use these too as they provide a seriously yummy chicken flavor. There is very little meat on a wing and none on the foot but the cartilage in the bones provides richness and body to the stew.

If you feel like going all out and feeding the whole neighborhood, you could use a whole hen, preferably one with the feet and head attached, remove these parts before your guests arrive though unless they are into that type of thing.

Enough chicken stock to cover the chicken, plus 1inch

About 4 or 5 cups of Veg I chose

Carrots

Celery tops

A few Lima Beans

Collard Greens

Fresh Thyme

Salt and Pepper

Oil and Butter for sautéing

A few tblsp cornstarch or flour

Here is What I Did:

In a large pot bring you chicken thighs and thyme and stock to a boil

Turn down the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour

Using a large spoon skim off any visible fat from the top of the broth

Remove your chicken from the stock and set aside to cool

In another pan lightly saute and season your veggies in a little oil and butter. Start with the veg that will take the longest to cook, or do them in different batches.  I think browning and seasoning the veg before adding them to the stew makes a difference in that it brings out the original flavor of each veggie and makes the stew more flavorful.

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle remove the bones and so your left with a big pile of yummy dark meat hunks

Before adding the meat and veg to your broth reduce your the liquid. Your should have an equal amount of broth, to your chicken and veg.

Next, thicken your broth with a slurry of cornstarch or flour: Remove about ½ cup and allow it to cool before quickly whisking in a few spoonfuls of cornstarch. Adding the cornstarch to small amount of warm broth in a separate cup keeps lumps of cornstarch from forming and ruining the entire stew.

Add the cornstarch slurry back into the big pot of broth and stir until the broth begins to thicken, repeat until it reaches your desired thickness.

Add your veggies and boneless chicken pieces into the pot with the thickened broth and continue to cook another 30min to an hour.

There it is, a flavorful dish that’s been nourishing and delighting my family for generations. I’m so happy to be able to pass it on to you!

However, much like my first college boyfriend, its got a charming messiness and some remarkably craveable qualities all of its own. Unlike my first college boyfriend, however, this is very reliable recipe, fun to make and always worth the effort.

It actually does not take that much effort, just a little wait time as the crust needs about an hour for the yeast to do its thing.

This pie starts with a no nonsense wheat crust and ends with a bunch of meaty toppings and plenty of yummy sauce. If you have ever enjoyed or been tempted by Two Boots Earth mother; a substantial albeit vegan “meal in a slice” but wished it involved more cheese and sausage then this recipe might be for you.

Here is what I used

2 and some cups of Flour.

I used Arthurs Whole Wheat White Flour–just found this, its awesome, if you cant find this 1 cup regular white flour + 1 cup whole wheat works just as well.

You could also use 100% whole wheat flour but be warned that this will produce a very heavy duty crust, which, honestly is a little too serious for my taste.

1 cup warm water

1 small pack of bakers yeast (.25)

About ¾ cup Olive oil

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Sugar

About ¼ cup corn meal I used grits and it turned out yummy

About 3 Cups good tomato sauce

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping of your choice, I chose:

Chili flakes, chopped Spinach, garlic

Italian Sausage

Red peppers

First Make the Crust

Here is what I did:

Combine your yeast and warm water, set aside for 10 min

Meanwhile

Mix your flour(s), salt and sugar

Stir in ¼ cup olive oil and the yeast + water

Pour some olive oil into a large bowl

Form the dough into a ball and transfer to the large bowl with the oil

Roll the dough around in the bowl so that it gets covered in oil

Cover the bowl with a lightly damp towel and set in a warmish place to rise until it doubles in size. This should take about 30min

 Prepare a baking sheet lining it with a thin layer of oil or butter cornmeal. The cornmeal gives it a yummy crunch and prevents the pizza from sticking to the tray.

Preheat your oven to 350

When your dough is ready flatten it out with your hands and put it on the tray that you have just prepared for baking. Don’t worry too much about uniformity of the crust. If you get holes just patch them up or leave them, it’s a very forgiving dough. Remember, it will rise quite a bit in baking.

 Cover your crust with a thin layer of sauce and pre-bake for 15-20min. I find when making pizza in a home oven its very important to prebake the crust a little, insuring a fully cooked and if your lucky a crispy bottom to your pizza.

While the crust is pre-baking take this time to season and sauté your toppings. Again, home ovens don’t get nearly as hot as proper pizza ovens. In order to avoid a soggy, undercooked, “doughy” crust all the toppings, especially veggies, which are filled with water like peppers and onions, need to be cooked first to remove all excess moisture.

When everything has been cooked and seasoned remove your crust from the oven and assemble your toppings:

Cheese, toppings, some more cheese and then proper sauce dollops on top, this is the superior way to build a pizza: Feel free to prove me wrong.

Bake for another 20min or so, let it cool before you cut into it.

This is homemade pizza, Enjoy!

Its not everyday that I find myself with a refrigerator full of ripe plumb tomatoes and not much else, but strangely enough, on a cold November Saturday, that’s just exactly what I had.  Well, that’s not totally true; I also had butter, potatoes, garlic (always) and some white beans.  So, not wanting to leave the house and venture to the grocery store but hungry all the same I decided that this would be dinner.

The result was amazing: A hearty vegetable Crockpot fit for any chilly night.

Lush, slightly acidic tomatoes grow even more luxurious with an hour or so in the oven. White beans are delicate yet substantial enough to take on these bold flavors while adding their own smooth sweetness. Garlic, which develops its aromatic character when roasted is the natural backbone in this subtile dish while potatoes provide the perfect rustic base.

Roasting the tomatoes and the potatoes separately and seasoning each ingredient on its own before combining is the key to this dish because it allows the complexity of each ingredient to develop fully. Comforting and fresh, this is a wonderful side dish, beautiful alongside chicken, pork, sausage or, top with shredded sharp cheese and some greens for a hearty main course.

Here is what I Used

4 Cups of Plumb Tomatoes

4 Cups of Potatoes cubed

1 Head of Garlic

2 Cups of White, Butter or Navy Beans

½-1 of Salted Butter

¼ Cups White Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

A pinch of Sugar

Here is What I Did

Preheat oven to 450

Put your tomatoes in a large oven safe dish, sprinkle with Salt, Sugar, Vinegar

Put your whole clove of Garlic in the middle as is

Top with a few pads of butter

Put in the oven

Toss your potatoes in oil or melted butter, and Salt

Arrange your potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet

Bake both your Potatoes and the Tomatoes uncovered until the Potatoes are cooked through. Drizzle your tomatoes with oil if they become dry 

Remove the Garlic from the Tomatoes and allow to cool enough to handle (put it in the refrigerator for 5 min or so)

Squeeze out the buttery roasted Garlic and combine with your cooked White Beans, set aside.

Arrange your roasted potatoes on the bottom of an oven safe dish

Pour the White Beans and Roasted Garlic over the Potatoes

Top with your roasted Tomatoes

Bake for another 15 min or so

Enjoy!

The best way I can think to describe this dish is a Thai style Tabbouleh. The comforting flavors of coconut and ginger come together with the earthy crunch of bulgur and kale to form a hearty, slightly spicy and ever so addictive curried salad.

This recipe is a beautiful example of how real ingredients can come together in tremendous harmony. In life we are often taught that good things come from hard work: The harder you work, the more thought you put into something, the more spectacular it will be but often its simple things that are the most spectacular.

When things come together too simply I often think there must be something wrong, something missing: “That was just too easy, it cant be right” but in the case of delicious food and a delicious life its often best not to mess with perfect results: Knowing what to leave out and when to stop is where true genius comes in.

So here is the recipe, don’t question it, just enjoy!

This is a make ahead dish, best left to marinate and served chilled: An excellent salad to make in large quantities for quick lunches or a group.

 Wheat Salad with Curried Tofu and Greens

Here is What I Used

2 cup water or veg stock

2 cup coconut milk

I used ¼ block solid coconut cream in 2 cups water

2 cup course bulgur

1 cup chopped ginger or 4 tblsp ground

1 bunch of kale

1 large block (approx 3 cups diced) firm tofu

½ cup dark soy or tamari

Juice of 1 lime

4 tblsp curry powder

Chili Paste to taste

Here is What I Did 

Combine the last 4 ingredients and pour over chopped tofu, let marinate in the refrigerator until the bulgur is cooked

Bring coconut milk and water and ginger to a boil

Stir in pre rinsed bulgur and cover, let sit for 20 min

Chop kale very fine

Stir kale into steaming hot bulgur cover 5-10 more min

Pour your tofu and marinade over the bulgur and kale and combine, drizzle with more tamari or add chili paste if so desired

Refrigerate for at least 2hours or overnight, serve chilled

Nothing beats homemade biscuits: They make a meal seem like a special occasion. Not only are they a crowd pleaser but they are very easy to make. In fact, I remember having a lot of fun making them as a kid. Flour, Baking Soda, and a dash of salt combined with Butter and Milk, if your feeling rich: Its amazing what humble ingredients, in the right proportions can do!

This is a wonderful, basic biscuit recipe that I really love for its simplicity and flexibility. I use this recipe as a cheat for all sorts of quick-breads and dough’s and it never fails. In less time then it takes to boil rice these delicious biscuits are great for any meal or snack.

Here is what I used

2 cups flour (whole wheat or whi
1 Tbls. baking soda
1 Tsp. salt (optional)
1/4 cup butter or oil (optional)
3/4-1 cup water or milk
Don’t throw away that foul tasting Soy Milk! Ive found that rancid Soy Milk makes the fluffiest biscuits ever.

Here is what I did

Preheat oven to
425-450• (bigger biscuit less heat)
Mix together wet ingredients
Mix together dry ingredients.
Mix together until it pulls away from sides.
Let the mixture sit for a while.
At this point you can drop onto a hot pan for drop biscuits
or
Flour surface well and kneed dough, mixing in more flour as needed until it’s not too sticky to cut shapes out of.
Cut, Bake 8-10min on greased sheet.

Here are some great ideas for this recipe

Use as you would a pie crust and fill with leftovers: Stir in a handful of sharp cheddar to make it even better!

Mix in roasted sweet potatoes, a few spoons of flax and sour cream or yogurt in place of the milk for a rich and nutritious sweet and savory bread (for every spoon of of flax add 1 spoon of of water).

Roll out and top with sliced apples, brown sugar and melted butter for the easiest apple pie ever.

I grew up in Chinatown: Thick shaved noodles, savory sausage and duck egg rice dumplings, clear fragrant broths and the dense, sweet smell of fresh tofu are some of my first food memories. When I need something to make me feel good, for whatever reason, I return to these flavors from my childhood. This recipe for poached chicken in ginger broth is a beautiful, simple use of one pot and the entire bird. As we enter into the colder, darker and more illness ridden winter season this recipe is a must have. It’s a clean and satisfying dish is fills me with an overwhelming sense of promise and wellbeing: A lovely healing dish for body and soul.

Here is what I used

The quantities of veg and stock are very flexible and depend mostly on the size of your pot

 1 Large stock-pot with tightly fitting lid

 1 small young chicken (3-4lbs)

1 large ginger root (about 2-3 cups roughly chopped)

1 bunch of scallions chopped

1 bunch of sweet basil

Enough chicken stock to fully submerge the chicken

4-5 bunches of baby bock-Choy

Chinese cabbage, Flowering Chives, Celery or Chinese Dried Mushrooms are other nice additions, although, in keeping with the purity of this dish I prefer to chose just one.

Here is what I did

 Begin to heat your stock on medium heat

Remove the giblets from inside the chicken and add them to the pot

Put ½ of your chopped Scallion, Ginger and Basil into the cavity the chicken

Place the Chicken in the pot of stock    and top with the rest of the Scallion, Ginger and Basil

The chicken should be fully submerged in stock with at least 2-3 inches to spare

Turn the heat up and bring the pot to a boil

Reduce the heat, maintaining a soft rolling boil for 20-25 min depending on the size of the bird

Put in your bunches of Bok-Choy, or veg of choice in whole. Keeping the bulb intact makes it easier to remove and serve

Turn off the flame and cover with a tight lid

Leave the pot covered for 1 hour

When you are ready to serve take the chicken and veg from the pot and discard most of the chickens skin. You hardly need to carve the bird because the meat will literally fall off the bone.

Serve family style with rice and broth.

This dish literally makes itself: The heat from the pot cooks the chicken to silky perfection and the veg are sweet and tender. Leaving the pot alone throughout the cooking process allows the broth to separate itself and the aromatics settle on the bottom.

What’s more to love about this dish is that it also makes its own leftovers: When you are finished picking most of the meat from the bird, return the carcass to the pot, which, will contain the leftover aromatics and chicken giblets. Cover the carcass with more water if needed and simmer throughout a rainy day.

Cool, remove fat and strain. This makes a robust “double broth”, a wonderful base for soup, ginger sauce or more poached chicken!

My husband has been trying to get me to make a Pasty ever since we have been together. He ‘s Northern, meaning from the upper half of England. Walk down the street at a certain time of day in his hometown and 1 out of every 3 people will be eating a Pasty. That’s no exaggeration.

The love of the Pasty runs deep into the heart and soul of what it means to be Northern. The Pasty is an ancient food creation, dating back as early as 1150, it has been a staple of provincial life in the North of England for centuries: A simple, efficient way for workers to get a hot meal on the job.

The recipes and fillings have undoubtably changed and vary (wars have literally been fought over that kind of stuff) but the general opinion is that a Pasty must contain two things: Potatoes and onions. Another defining characteristic of sorts is the shape, it must be flat and mounded as to reheat quickly and it also must have a sturdy (crispy delicious) corner, which serves as a handle of sorts and also allows a person to eat a bit and save the rest for later.

According to legend, the final corner bite of the Pasty should never be eaten but instead thrown on the ground to feed  the miner gremlins, which cause accidents and deaths in the mines. There is some truth in this superstition: The mines were filled with arsenic, which would have covered the miners hands. By throwing away the piece of the Pasty, which they had been holding, the miners were saving themselves from ingesting significant amounts of poison.

So why has it been three years, two countries, five apartments and a baby and I still have never made a Pasty for my husband? The answer is simple: I don’t make my own pastry. In fact, I’m pretty bad at baking altogether.

Living in New York I’ve always known that I’m minuets and a few dollars away from some of the best baked goods in the world, also, as if I needed another reason to be intimidated by baking, my mother is phenomenal at it.

Lo and behold it turns out that there is a good reason people have been making Pastys and things like Pastys all over the world for hundreds of years: They are really good, easy and fulfilling in pretty much every way.

The crust is super easy to make. I used coconut oil in place of lard or shortening.

One of the best things about this recipe is that once the Pasty is all assembled you can either bake it right away or better yet, wrap it and freeze it. I found that once the Pasty is assembled freezing it before baking gives a better result. Freezing helps bring the filling and the pastry to the same temperature, allows the pastry to crisp up perfectly ands prevents these fragile little delicacies from breaking when you try to move them from your work area into the oven. These can go straight from the freezer into a hot 375 oven and crisp up in 20-40 min depending on how big they are.

(Vegan) Past(r)y Crust:

Here is what I used

3/4 cup coconut oil

2 cups organic unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 – 5 tablespoons ice cold water

Plastic wrap

Here is what I did

Chop the coconut oil into the dry ingredients using a pastry knife or two knifes.

Add ice water a tablespoon at a time and continue to chop. The mixture should look a little like cornmeal, with lots of tiny lumps.

Once combined, empty contents onto a very large layer of plastic wrap. At this point you might be thinking that this will never form a dough because it looks like a pile of crumbs but dont worry, it will all work out in the end. Bring the edges of the plastic wrap together: Twist and press the dough, getting rid of excess air while forcing the dough into a tight ball.

Refrigerate for 1 hour .

Roll the pastry out between pieces of cling wrap using a cold rolling pin. At this point you can freeze the dough for a later date.

For Pastys I rolled it out to 1/8 inch and cut it into tortilla sized circles. This dough is very fragile but resist touching it too much. Use the plastic wrap to move the dough around. 

If you are planning on baking these right away preheat your oven to 375

Put any cold filling of your choice in the middle of the rolled out dough.

Using the plastic wrap bring over one side, forming a pocket.

Press the edges together with your finger or a fork.

At this point you can wrap the lose ends of the plastic around the Pasty and freeze it for later or carefully unwrap it and place it on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 until pastry is crispy (anywhere from 20-40min)

The all-important factor is temperature: Keeping everything cold is key.

Tips to keeping things cold:

!0 min before you start pop all of your supplies (flour, water, bowls, knife etc.) into the freezer so that everything is nice and cold before your begin.

 If you use coconut oil its mostly liquid at room temperature but will solidify quickly in the freezer. Measure out 3/4 of a cup while its soft and then chill it with the rest of your supplies.

Put iced cubes in the water you are using and if at any point the dough starts feeling greasy simply pop it in the freezer for a few minuets.

Make sure your filling is cold before you use it to fill your Pasty.

Its a beautiful thing

I am vaguely familiar with Salt Beef, it was a bit of a funny trend in England’s gastropubs while I was there but could this be the stuff? I wondered.

And as I stood in my local market, staring into this bucket full of meat, the cartoonish slab beckoned me from its mysterious bath. I tried to figure out what magical properties this liquid had, which made this meat fit for human consumption (Is that a cinnamon stick? Are those Juniper berries in there?).

A woman who looked to be in her late 60′s shuffled passed me, interrupting my apparent confused trance and stuck her bare hand into the bucket, pulling out a dripping slab, examining it before dropping it into a plastic bag and shooting me a caring yet stern look that said “that’s how its done”. So, I followed suit, partially because I want to see what this stuff is all about and I trust my local market with stuff like this (I mean they would not sell it if people could die from it right?) and partially because I was too embarrassed to walk away from that encounter empty handed.

It turns out that people enjoyed meat long before the invention of refrigerators and this is how: Salt.

The meat is cured in a salt brine for 10 days or so. This not only keeps the meat edible but flavors and tenderizes what would normally be a very dry cut. You can do this at home if you want, but I prefer to let someone else handle that 10 day process.

I will take on the challenge, which is really no challenge at all because its so simple, and joy of cooking, and eating it!

To prepare this beef I rinsed it well, and boiled it on a low heat for 3-4 hours. If, at 2 hours the meat is still way too salty for your liking simply change the water out and continue boiling. You may be able to skip this step by soaking the meat for a while before you boil it, either way it all depends on how salty you want it.

This may sound like a labor intensive process but its not. You simply leave it to boil all day, no real culinary skill is needed here. Lets remember, this is pirate food.

When the meat was the texture and flavor I liked I took it out of the water, drained it well and packed it tightly to cool down.

When we were ready to eat I sliced the meat, which came off more as shreds: Delicious beef shreds. The meat was savory and dense with a lovely amount of fat. More intensely meaty and less greasy then the commercial corned beef I am used to eating.

I think this will become a common staple in my fridge as its more healthy then bacon but similar in its uses. Combined with some fried potatoes, parsley, onions and dijon it made the most amazing Potato hash. Salt beef shines stirred into grits, scrambled eggs and in a hearty ragu. We had ours here on pumpernickel with a hearty dollop of mustard and Sauerkraut.

The Dutch do things really well. As an American I see that something is Dutch made and just think, yeah, that’s real quality. From shoes to baby toys to crackers, I buy Dutch stuff and without a doubt feel the need to point out its Dutch-ness to anyone who takes notice: “they are Dutch!” I exclaim, as a complete descriptive feature, to which, people usually give an inquisitive look and say “wow [!]” –they are clearly impressed.

So when the urge to make a homemade Mac and Cheese came on, I thought to myself, “let’s see how the Dutch do it”. To no surprise of my own I found a great Dutch recipe where the main ingredient is a vegetable that rarely makes its way into my home, cauliflower alongside one of my favorite cheeses, edam. The rest is easy: Milk, flour, eggs.

In order to reassert my own American-ness into this dish I baked this casserole inside of a pumpkin, which makes a welcome addition to this recipe not only for its subtle earthy sweetness but also for its pretty orange color. This is a really simple comforting dish in which all the ingredients speak for themselves.

Here is what I used 

1 Pumpkin

1 head of Cauliflower

3 Eggs

2 tablespoons condensed milk

About 3 tablspoons of flour

1 cup milk

salt and pepper, to taste

paprika, to taste

About 2.5 cups of aged edam cheese, grated

Here is what I did

Cut the pumpkin in half.

Scoop out the stringy insides and seeds and put aside. I like to roast the seeds on a baking sheet alongside the pumpkin for a snack.

Put the pumpkin pieces face down on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 for 30-1hour depending on the size. You don’t really need a timer but as soon as your house begins to smell like cooked pumpkin start checking on it every 15min or so for doneness: If you can stick a fork in it easily, it’s ready.

For the Cauliflower Edam

Here is what I did

Cut the cauliflower into popcorn sized pieces and boil in salted water for 10min or until tender.

Drain well. Really well, you don’t want any extra moisture in this dish.

Beat your eggs, ½ cheese mixture and the two forms of milk.

Sift in your flour, salt and pepper.

Pack the cauliflower into your pumpkin or, any baking dish.

Pour your egg, cheese mixture over the cauliflower.

Top with the rest of your cheese.

Bake at 395 for 25min, at which time you should pull it out of the oven. Take a thin knife and stick it through the center of the pumpkin from the side. Do this 3 or 4 times all around the circumference of the pumpkin. This will allow any excess liquid from the veggies to escape. Of course, if you are using a baking dish there is no need to do this, as the moisture will have more area to escape.

Return the dish to the oven and let it make for 20-30 more min or until it it’s bubbling and brown.

This is a welcome switch from Mac and cheese and a delicious use of cauliflower, it can easily stand alone with a salad or accompany any main meal.

So here I am, thanking the Dutch yet again for bringing class and sustainability to my life and transforming one of my all time comfort foods!

I always do this when I move into a new neighborhood because a lot of my daily cooking comes from what I pick up at the market.  I have learned a lot about food this way. When we were in Bushwick, for example, I learned that 90% of making a good Taco, is about getting the right brands and putting them on the plate in the correct order (most food works this way really).

What I was particularly excited about with the markets in my current neighborhood is that I recognized a lot of the products, or at least their ingredients, from when I lived in England. West Indian and British cultures share a lot, all you have to do is take a brief look at history to know the reasons why.

My husband, an English expat, was especially nostalgic for the flavor of home when I returned from the local market with Iron Brew, Vimpto, and even a West Indian version of Pickled Lily, a mustardy relish that my husband simply adores. If you ask me, I even think that Pickapeppa sauce tastes suspiciously like the fun, more adventurous cousin of the beloved English Brown Sauce.

Salt Fish is one thing that you can find abundant varieties of at the markets around my way, they are not for the faint of heart and have a pungent flavor of, well, salt and fish. If you happen to be into that kind of thing, like me, well then slap some mustard and hot sauce on one, wrap it in a baguette and call it a day, but, if your like the general population and don’t like to consume a weeks worth of sodium in one fishy go, then you can make these Deviled eggs. They are smooth, lux and not too fishy, a great snack for anytime of the day.

Here is what I used:

1/4 cup of very finely chopped smoked herring (about ½ of a large fillet). If you can’t find smoked herring you can use anchovies here as well

1/4 cup of mayo. Substitute Greek yogurt or sour cream here if you want but don’t use light mayo (ever-ha))

¼ cup of Dijon mustard

A dozen eggs

For garnish

Fresh Ground Black pepper or Chili Flakes and fresh Parsley or Dill

Here is what I did:

Hard boil you eggs and let them cool. I always forget how to do this correctly, no shame in my game: http://www.wikihow.com/Hard-Boil-an-Egg

Cut them in half and gently remove the yolks, keeping the egg white cups intact

Mix the first 3 ingredients until smooth.

Spoon this mixture back into the egg whites. I find that if you don’t have a tiny spoon the tip of a butter knife works well for this

Garnish with freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes and parsley.

Refrigerate and serve.