I’ve been meaning to make this recipe for years … almost 3 years in fact.
I first learned of “eggs Jeanette” from my friend and fellow food blogger, Iron Stef. Stef’s recipe for this interesting and unusual egg dish caught my eye when she made it back in 2008, and I’ve revisted her recipe many times, always saying to myself, “I need to make these soon.” Well, soon is finally here!
As Stef mentions in her blog post, “eggs Jeanette” is the creation of beloved chef, Jacques Pépin, or more appropriately, Chef Pépin’s mother.
As he writes in his memoir, The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen, “When we were kids, eggs were a staple on our table. Meat or poultry showed up there once a week at the most, and more often than not, our “meat” dinners consisted of a delicious ragout of potatoes or cabbage containing bits of salt pork or leftover roast. Eggs were always a welcome main dish, especially in a gratin with béchamel sauce and cheese, and we loved them in omelets with herbs and potatoes that Maman would serve hot or cold with a garlicky salad.
Our favorite egg recipe, however, was my mother’s creation of stuffed eggs, which I baptized “eggs Jeanette.” To this day, I have never seen a recipe similar to hers, and we still enjoy it often at our house. Serve with crusty bread as a first course or as a main course for lunch.”
Essentially pan-fried deviled eggs drizzled with tangy dressing, “eggs Jeanette” are warm, comforting, and utterly delicious. I can’t believe it took me almost three years to make them … but I guarantee it won’t be nearly that long before I make them again.
I adapted Chef Pépin’s recipe to fit what I had in my pantry, and I hope my version does his—and his mother’s—justice.
Eggs Jeanette
Adapted from The Essential Pépin by Jacques Pépin
Ingredients:
Eggs:
- 6 large hard boiled eggs, peeled
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely minced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons leftover egg stuffing (from above)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
- Salt and black pepper
Directions:
1. Gently cut each hard boiled egg in half, then carefully remove yolks, placing yolks in a bowl and setting the whites aside.
2. To the yolks, add the garlic, onion, parsley, milk, salt, and pepper. Mash with a fork to combine. Carefully spoon the yolk mixture back into the hollows of the egg whites, reserving 2 tablespoons of the filling to use in the dressing.
3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the eggs, stuffing side down, in the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the eggs are browned on the stuffed side. Remove from skillet and place on a platter, stuffed side up.
4. In a small bowl, combine reserved egg stuffing, mustard, and sour cream. Whisk to combine, adding milk as necessary to acheive a smooth, creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spoon the dressing over the warm eggs and serve. Serves 4.
NOTES: Not sure how to hard boil eggs? Here’s my method.
