Get cracking

12 recipes that take the hard-boiled egg beyond easter.Now that Easter is over, it's time to stop thinking about hard-boiled eggs as something to hide and once again start thinking of them as food -- and a versatile one at that. Hard-boiled eggs are worthy both as self-contained snacks and as main ingredients in more substantial dishes. The key in either case is cooking them so that the yolks are firm but still creamy rather than chalky, and peeling them without either tearing the egg to shreds or driving yourself mad.The first part is accomplished easily enough by following the master recipe; I've found that nine minutes in hot water yields the perfect consistency for large to extra-large eggs, but if you prefer your yolks on the softer or firmer side, adjust the timing as needed. If you're going to simmer the eggs in tomato sauce, hard-boil them for only seven and a half minutes, because they'll continue to cook in the sauce. To minimize the dreaded green color, which comes from not cooling the egg quickly enough, dunk the eggs in an ice bath immediately after cooking -- and don't skimp on the ice.There are countless "tricks" to peeling hard-boiled eggs: pricking the shell with a pin before cooking, rolling on a counter to crack every bit of shell, doing a prayer dance. The key, though, is that ice-water bath, followed by cracking them against the countertop and starting to peel from the wider end, where there is usually an air pocket. To avoid prolonged peeling sessions, I typically cook a big batch at once, peel only what I need to use immediately and store the remainder in the fridge. They'll keep in their shells for a week, which means they're ready when you need them, be it for dyeing, eating or anything else.
Master Hard-Boiled-Egg RecipeChoose a pot that will comfortably hold all the eggs you plan to cook. Add the eggs, cover with cold water by 2 inches and put the pot over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot; the average large to extra-large egg will be ready in 9 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a large ice bath for about a minute; crack, peel and eat, or refrigerate for up to a week.
PICKLEDClassic Pickled Eggs

Put 6 hard-boiled eggs in a lidded glass container. In a saucepan, combine 1½ cups cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons each black peppercorns, mustard seeds and allspice berries, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1½ cups water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour over the eggs; let sit until cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Beet-Pickled EggsOmit the mustard seeds and allspice. Add 1 medium grated beet and 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish to the pot.Soy-Pickled EggsOmit the peppercorns, mustard seeds and allspice. Add ¼ cup soy sauce and 3 pieces star anise to the pot, and reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon.
DEVILEDClassic Deviled Eggs

Halve the eggs lengthwise and carefully scoop the yolks into a bowl. Mash with mayonnaise, Dijon and a pinch of cayenne. Spoon the mixture back into the egg whites, or pipe it in with a pastry bag. Garnish: Paprika or chopped parsley.Bacon and Deviled EggsCook a few slices of bacon until crisp. Add some of the rendered fat to the yolk mixture instead of the mayonnaise, and crumble the cooked bacon over the top.

Rustic Deviled EggsInstead of mashing the yolks, roughly chop them. Substitute olive oil for the mayonnaise, vinegar for the Dijon and chopped capers, shallots and parsley for the cayenne. Garnish: Parsley.
SIMMERED IN TOMATO SAUCECurried Tomato SaucePut 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 cup chopped scallions, and cook until soft. Stir in 2 tablespoons curry powder; add 2 cups chopped canned tomatoes and 1 cup coconut milk; simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add hard-boiled eggs, and heat for 5 minutes. Serve over rice. Garnish: Cilantro.Classic Tomato SauceSubstitute onion for scallions. Omit the curry powder and coconut milk, and increase the tomatoes to 3 cups (and include their juices). Serve with crusty bread. Garnish: Parmesan.

Smoky Tomato SauceSubstitute red onion for the scallions, and 1 tablespoon (or more) chopped chipotle in adobo for the curry powder. Omit the coconut milk, and increase the tomatoes to 3 cups (and include their juices). Serve with tortillas. Garnish: Queso fresco.
EGG SALADCurried Egg SaladSubstitute curry powder for pickles, cilantro for dill and lime juice for lemon. Garnish: A sprinkle of curry.Egg Salad With Pickles and DillChop hard-boiled eggs, and toss them with chopped gherkins or dill pickles, chopped red onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice and chopped dill. Garnish: Dill.Waldorf Egg SaladSubstitute chopped walnuts for pickles, chopped Granny Smith apple for red onion and chopped celery for dill. Garnish: Celery leaves.Note: Salt and pepper assumed when needed. © 2014 The New York TimesPhoto Source: Thinkstock