Welcome to the month of gratitude! November kicks off the season of holidays and family and shared meals around the table. There is one spin off holiday that has in recent years gained much traction: “Friendsgiving.” While it may seem trite for the occasion to have a name, it’s earned one! Family gets first billing usually this time of year, but our friends deserve it as well. Friendship is worth celebrating and as Priya Parker so eloquently puts it “Gathering matters because it is through each other that we figure out what we believe.”
There are so many ways to put an event like this together, but my personal favorite is to have everyone contribute. And why not skip the heavy main course and go with a meatless spread? There will be plenty of turkey and ham, for those who want it, when the big day comes around.
Encouraging everyone to bring their go to side or snack not only gets you variety but makes it personal. I went a step further and asked my oldest and dearest friend Katherine (I’m not talking age here) for her go-to deviled egg recipe (it helps that she is an actual professional in this arena!).
Give it a try for yourself or as you can see on page NUMBER, there are a lot of good ones in the OKC metro area readily available for you. No matter the table you find yourself gathering around this season, take a minute to say thanks, and be nourished, both in body and soul!
A Champion Egg Deviler and Author
Katherine (Withers) Cobbs grew up in Oklahoma City and now lives with her family in Birmingham, Ala. She is the author and co-author of several cookbooks and has worked with Martina McBride, Elizabeth Heiskell, Todd English and Frank Stitt. She is producing a new “Guides to Spirited Pairings” series of books for Simon & Schuster. The first book, Cookies & Cocktails, came out in October, with Tequila & Tacos to follow in 2020, just before for Cinco de Mayo.
Katherine’s Creamy Deviled Eggs with Pickled Shallots and Herbs:
“This is my go-to boiling method for easy-to-peel, platter-perfect eggs. Look for microgreens or even edible flowers as a pretty garnish substitute for the fresh herbs,” Cobbs says.
Makes 1 dozen
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 medium shallot, halved lengthwise and finely sliced (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Paprika for dusting
1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
Snipped chives or baby tarragon leaves
1. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set the ice bath aside.
2. Lower the eggs with a slotted spoon into the boiling water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the eggs for 13 minutes. Drain and transfer the eggs to the ice bath to cool completely. Peel, rinse, and pat thoroughly dry.
3. Combine the vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the shallot in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Halve the cooled eggs. Scoop out the cooked yolks and transfer to a bowl. Mash the yolks with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard. Spoon the mixture back into the egg cavities. Alternatively, place the mixture into a piping bag and pipe it into the egg cavities.
5. Drain the shallot mixture. Arrange the eggs on a pretty platter. Sprinkle each with a light dusting of paprika. Garnish with a few pickled shallot slices and snipped chives or tarragon leaves.