The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Harissa Deviled Eggs

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I can’t believe I’ve almost made it through the whole summer without sharing a recipe for deviled eggs! One of my all-time favorite picnic foods, they are a staple in our household, especially in the warmer months. And if I’m looking to use up some fresh herbs that might not make it much longer or create some much-needed space in the fridge by clearing out the bottom of a condiment jar, it’s deviled eggs to the rescue! They lend themselves to so many different flavor and texture combinations that I could probably snack on them every day and not get bored. Wasabi deviled eggs? Check. Crispy chive deviled eggs? Check again. Pickled okra deviled eggs? Oh yeah.

I could go on for a while here, but I’ll limit myself to talking about this week’s snack of choice – harissa deviled eggs. If you’ve been a regular reader of this blog, you’ll know that harissa is one of my go-to ingredients. I always have it on hand because it’s just so darn delicious! The brand I buy is heavy on the tomatoes, and is similar to a spicy sundried tomato tapenade – which, incidentally, could be subbed for the harissa in this recipe. If you do decide to go get some harissa for these eggs, check out my Spicy Harissa-Chickpea Burger, Quinoa Superfood Salad with Harissa-Sesame Dressing (excuse the photos – this was one of my first posts), and Baked Eggs with Lambsquarters and Harissa. Trust me, you’ll have no trouble using it up!

Anyway, let’s talk some more about these deviled eggs. They are seriously addictive – creamy yolks, subtle heat, and a bright pickle-induced crunch that pops out at you every once in a while to remind you what’s what. Hungry yet?

Oh – speaking of those creamy yolks, my #1 secret for delicious deviled eggs is to use more yolks than whites. This means you’ll never skimp on the delicious filling that is the very definition of a deviled egg, but you also won’t have to be heavy-handed with the mayonnaise to make sure your filling doesn’t run out. That’s right – I like my deviled eggs light on the mayonnaise and heavy on the flavor!

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Trio of Dips

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Why is dipping food into other food so much fun?!  If I like the dipping instrument and the dipping matter, I could probably be completely content for hours on end just taking a chip, dipping it into something creamy, taking a carrot, dipping it into something spicy, taking a strawberry, dipping it into a pool of melted chocolate … whoever invented dipping was seriously a genius.

And dips are laughably easy to make, too. The creamy harissa one in this post, for example, is as simple as stirring together harissa and yogurt, with maybe a bit of mayo thrown in there for good measure. That’s it! And it tastes four times as good as a creamy harissa dip you might purchase at the store – complete with a bunch of “dehydrated milk powder” and other random ingredients they have to throw in there so it doesn’t go bad while it’s waiting to be purchased. Making dips at home is definitely the way to go – both in terms of quality and taste and in terms of your wallet. (Extra points if you decide to make your own harissa too – I buy a really good brand that’s cost effective and doesn’t have any yuck ingredients in it so I just used that.)

How do you make a fabulous dip? Easy. Just think about what ingredients might go well together, then mix ’em up. If your dip doesn’t quite pop, you might need to add some acid (lemon, lime, vinegar, etc.) and if it doesn’t taste quite balanced, try adding a tiny bit of sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave, etc.) If you want your dip to be creamy, you can use sour cream, mayo, yogurt, avocado, hemp seeds, etc. For spice, throw in some cayenne or some kind of spice paste (like harissa or Asian chili paste). Spicy components go great with creamy or sweet elements, and sweet components go great with sour ones. Experiment and have fun!

To get you started, today I’m sharing a trio of dips that would be perfect to take with you on a Father’s Day picnic  – or any other kind of picnic – or to eat on your front porch, balcony, etc. We’ve got the aforementioned spicy, creamy harissa dip; a savory, protein-packed avocado-hemp dip; and a deliciously refreshing mango-poblano. That last one has some fresh tomatillo, basil, lime, and cumin in it as well and is the perfect counterpart to the savory avocado and spicy harissa.

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Spicy Harissa-Chickpea Burgers

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Harissa is one of my kitchen staples, since I love its intensity of flavor and incredible vibrancy.  Add in some crunchy dill-infused carrots and some nutty chickpeas, and you’ve got yourself a winning combination. This is a burger that packs some heat – in a delightfully zesty way. It’s delicious with the optional yogurt dressing featured here, but an aioli made with vegan mayo would work just fine too. Or you can just eat these babies straight out of the oven – no accoutrements necessary, provided you like it hot!

These burgers are a wee bit similar (in method, not flavor) to my Indian Chickpea Cakes, since I’m a huge fan of using millet in my burgers and cakes. This awesome grain is moist, nutty, and really gives you something nice and meaty to sink your teeth into. Plus it’s totally under-appreciated and really good for you! If you’ve never enjoyed millet before, this is a great introduction to it – its flavor and texture in this recipe is similar to rice, and it doesn’t taste at all like “health food.”

Finally, I should mention that if you keep reading, you’ll actually find not one, but three recipes included in this post! Woohoo! Exciting! (Consider it my Halloween present to everyone :p)

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Baked Eggs with Lambsquarters and Harissa

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If asparagus and swiss chard had a baby in an untouched woodsy forest somewhere, the result would be lambsquarters. At least, that’s the fairy tale version. The real version is pretty cool too: this wild plant, which can be found growing in most parts of the world, is in fact related to spinach and beets. While modern gardeners may curse it (lambsquarters can take over a garden like nothing else!), it happens to be exceptionally delicious. In fact, according to Penn State Extension — a division of the College of Agricultural Sciences — people have probably been eating lambsquarters since prehistoric times!

Besides tasting like the woodsy baby of asparagus and swiss chard, this so-called weed also has a ton of nutritional moxie: experts agree that it outperforms spinach with regards to iron and protein. Forager Steve Brill, colloquially-known as “Wildman,” describes lambsquarters as “one of the best sources of beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, and iron in the world; also a great source of trace minerals, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, and fiber.” And check out what the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association has to say about lambsquarters here. (By the way, if you happen to live in the New York area and haven’t been on one of Steve’s foraging walks, you should definitely check them out! They are awesome!)

Believe it or not, I first came across lambsquarters — not traipsing around looking for wild plants — but at the Union Square Greenmarket. Lani’s farm  was sampling them one day. I quickly fell in love with their unique, rich, woodsy flavor and now I buy them whenever I can. They are absolutely delicious sautéed with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and so quick and easy to prepare!

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Fusion Superfood Salad with Harissa-Sesame Dressing

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This salad is ridiculous. No, seriously, I don’t even mean ridiculously delicious (though it’s that too.) I mean ridiculous in that I can’t even categorize it accurately. I wanna say it’s Asian-inspired, because it’s got toasted sesame oil, grated daikon, and cucumber. But there’s also quinoa, harissa, and lemon juice – middle eastern?? Then we add toasted sunflower seeds and avocado – California? New American? Aaahhh. I don’t know WHAT this salad is but I can promise you that it’s great. Like really great. It’s one of those salads that manages to hit the perfect balance of textures and flavors – creamy, spicy, crunchy – it’s all there. It also happens to be packed with superfoods. And, it hits all three of the macronutrients we need to function properly- protein, carbs, and fat – in one dish, which is always a plus. (This also means if you become completely obsessed with this salad and start eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you’ll probably be okay for at least a couple days…not that I know this from experience or anything :p)

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