Oeufs a La Diable

Mom's variation of Julia Child's Oeufs ¨¤ la Diable, using less mayo, a touch of olive oil in with the butter, and a sprinkling of paprika on top of the finished halves. I piped the filling into the whites for presentation's sake, since they were going to my stepbrother's engagement party.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 36
• Yields: 36 halves

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 dozen hard-boiled eggs (I make them like Sara Moulton, Mom prefers the old-fashioned boil to death method)
• 2  tablespoons  real mayonnaise (or homemade)
• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest
• 2  tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  sweet pickle relish
• 1  pinch  each  salt and pepper
•  paprika, for sprinkling
•  radishes, grape tomatoes, green onions (optional) or  celery, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Halve the eggs carefully and, using a small spoon, remove the yolks to the top of a potato ricer or food mill.
2. Press the yolks through into a bowl and beat in the mayonnaise, oil, lemon zest, butter, relish, salt and pepper.
3. Spoon into pastry bag (use a star tip for pretty filling!).
4. Set egg whites on a flat surface and pipe even amounts of filling into each cavity. Dust with paprika.
5. Place finished eggs on a serving platter (with additional garnish veggies if desired), cover and chill until needed.