Easter brunch: Deviled Eggs with Ham & Candied Jalapenos

“What day is Easter?” is always the first question (April 17 in 2022). "Is making deviled eggs ahead of time OK?" is usually the next question (yes), followed by "Anyone have a good recipe?" (yes again).

In the world of Easter brunch recipes, noting beats deviled eggs and baked ham. Deviled Eggs with Ham and Candied Jalapenos were inspired by leftover ham, but you can just as easily buy a few thick-cut slices of ham at the deli for this recipe.

The best deviled egg recipe

Whatever ham you choose, dice it small to fit neatly inside the egg yolk filling and fry it until the edges turn brown to add extra flavor. Forget the usual sweet relish. A touch of wine jelly and candied jalapenos adds more interesting sweetness. A sprinkling of toasted pecans on top provides an unexpected crunch that will make you wonder why you waited so long to garnish deviled eggs with nuts.

It's OK to do deviled eggs a day before

These deliciously different deviled eggs are so doable ahead of time. If you have an air-tight deviled egg container, fill these eggs, store them in the refrigerator and then garnish just before serving.

If you need to store them for two days, 1)remove the yolks from the whites the day before, 2) mix the filling and 3) store the filling it in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator. To store the egg whites, place them cut side down on damp paper towels in a flat, well-sealed container. When it’s time to fill the eggs, arrange the whites on a plate, snip a corner off the zip-top bag and squeeze filling from the the bag to fill the eggs.

The best way to boil eggs

Still not sure how to boil eggs? Follow these easy steps. No special equipment is needed.

• Place large eggs in a pot large enough to hold them in single layer. Fill the pot with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch.
• Bring the eggs to a boil over high heat. The minute they start to boil, take the pot off the stove, put a lid on it and let the eggs sit for 12 minutes for medium-size eggs, 15 minutes for large eggs and 18 minutes for extra-large eggs. That green ring around the yolk forms when eggs cook for too long, so set a timer.
• Just before the timer goes off, fill a big bowl with ice water. Drain the eggs immediately and transfer them to the ice water. Cool completely and then tap each egg on a hard surface until the shell is cracked all over. Start peeling at the large end.
• If you don’t want to use the peeled eggs immediately, store them in a bowl of water in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Be sure that the water covers the peeled eggs by at least one inch.