Devilicous Eggs and Ham

Pureed as part of a fantastic creamy mousse,
ham gives these deviled eggs a distinctive,
savory character and a beautiful appearance.

Ingredients:
12 eggs
1/2 cup chicken broth

1/8 oz. gelatin

1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tbsp. flour

3/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. sherry
4 oz. cooked ham
1/8 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne

Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
Chervil or parsley leaves for garnish


Directions:
Boil eggs until hard-cooked; chill in ice water.
Peel eggs and halve lengthwise;
separate yolks and whites and chill both.

In a small bowl, combine 1⁄4 cup of the chicken broth
with gelatin; let rest for 10
minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat.
Whisk in flour to make a paste.
Whisk in remaining 1⁄4 cup of chicken broth;
cook until mixture thickens, 1–2 minutes.
Remove pan from heat; whisk in reserved gelatin mixture,
Dijon mustard, and sherry to make a sauce.

In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop ham; add sauce,
reserved yolks, paprika, cayenne, and pepper to taste.
Purée until smooth; scrape mousse through a fine sieve
into a large bowl and discard solids.

In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream to soft peaks.
Fold cream into mousse; chill.
Spoon mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip;
pipe into reserved egg whites and garnish with chervil leaves.