Deviled Eggs with Black Trumpet Caviar

The humble, reliable and always munchable deviled egg cleans up rather well and deserves a place amongst passed appetizers and first courses.

Serves 6-12

• ½ dozen eggs
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup Dried Black Trumpet Mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• salt to taste

1. Hard boil six eggs.
2. Peel the eggs and slice them into halves, removing the yolks and setting them aside in a bowl. Set the whites aside, keeping them chilled.
3. To the egg yolks, add the mayonnaise, sour cream and dijon mustard and while mashing the eggs, blend all ingredients together.
4. Salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
5. Re-hydrate and clean the black trumpet mushrooms.
6. Finely mince the cleaned mushrooms. In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then saute the shallots until soft and translucent. Add the minced black trumpets and cook until tender. Set aside to let cool. Salt to taste.
7. Pipe or spoon the egg-yolk mixture into the egg white halves. Top with a generous spoonful of the black trumpet caviar.
8. Keep your deviled eggs chilled until ready to be served individually or on a small platter.

Tips and Techniques

Dried Black Trumpet Mushrooms will keep a relatively firm texture while cooking and don't absorb as much water while re-hydrating than some other mushrooms, so cook them somewhat gently at a medium heat.

Substitutions and Variations

Porcini, Mousseron and Morel mushrooms would work beautifully with this recipe, although the visual effect wouldn't be as striking. Black trumpet mushrooms have been referred to as the poor man's black truffle.