I think most cooks have a recipe for deviled eggs. This one had some interesting herbal notes but even my editor admitted the original title of this recipe was boring so I gave it bit of a twist. I love deviled eggs, but for me, just the name "deviled eggs" conjures up some white-gloved old biddy in one of those Southern chick flicks. You know the ones with magnolias and tiny altars everywhere...
So to punch up this recipe I used a not so secret ingredient. You don't have to know Japanese to know what it is. Wasabi. Real wasabi comes from a rhizome and is much tastier than the powdered mustard, horseradish and food coloring paste that is generally available in tubes. But the everyday store-bought stuff sure works great in place of mustard in deviled eggs! It also complemented some of the spicier green herbs that I used in these deviled eggs too.
If you'd like to try the real thing don't be surprised that it's not as neon green as the artificial stuff. Some high end sushi bars offer it. I've been to some sushi bars where you have to request it and pay extra for it. Growing it is tricky, but you can order it from a purveyor in Oregon. Fresh Wasabi will sell you the rhizome or the paste made from the real stuff. If you love it, it's a worthwhile indulgence.
