Deviled Egg Spread

Ingredients

• 6 cups (48 ounces) water
• 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 celery stalk
• ½ cup (4 ounces) white vinegar
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon aged red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon sliced fresh chives
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Steps

1. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
2. Bring 6 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a deep saucepan over high heat. Add the peeled celery stalk to the boiled water, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the pan, and plunge in the ice bath.
3. Remove the outer stringy layer of the celery with a vegetable peeler and discard.
4. Add the vinegar to the water, and return to a boil. Add the eggs to the pan, and cook for 8 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pan, and plunge in the ice bath.
5. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and separate the whites from the yolks. Chop the egg whites to equal ½ cup, and reserve for Smoked Oysters on Toast if desired. Reserve the remaining whites for another use.
6. Combine the egg yolks, mayonnaise, Dijon, red wine vinegar, and hot sauce in a medium bowl.
7. Dice the celery and fold half into the egg yolk mixture. (Reserve the remaining celery for Smoked Oysters on Toast if desired.) Stir in the chives, black pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.