Deviled eggs are a contentious dish but if it’s late spring in the South, you’re bound to find them on many buffet spreads.

In my family, Easter, Mother’s Day, and summer bridal showers were not complete without a spread of deviled eggs. Each Southern grandmother had their own deviled egg plate designed with egg-shaped indentions for serving a perfect dozen. These plates are usually family heirlooms passed down from mother to daughter. I haven’t come into possession of my owned deviled egg plate but I am in the market if anyone has any recommendations!

I had deviled eggs in this style at the Park Tavern restaurant in San Francisco. Whenever I get a bit homesick for my beloved neighborhood of North Beach, I have been known to whip up a few of these to serve with a glass of rosé. Really, you can make deviled eggs with whatever you have on hand. The only rule is that the filling of deviled eggs should always be mayonnaise base which makes this the perfect dish for a little free styling. In cooking school, we had a “deviled egg day” during which students fought for the right of best deviled egg. Some toppings or ingredients we used that day include:

• Japanese-Style Deviled Egg - Miso added to the filling, sesame seeds, and thinly sliced scallions on top

• Korean-Style Deviled Egg - Gochujang added to the filling, sesame seeds, and kimchi on top

• Deviled Eggs topped with fried caper berries

• Spicy Deviled Eggs - Hot sauce in the filling, topped with pickled habaneros

Ingredients for the Candied Bacon

• 3 slices of thick-cut bacon

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Ingredients for the Chimichurri

• 1 cup finely chopped herbs, preferably parsley and cilantro

• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon vinegar

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• Juice from one lemon

• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Deviled Eggs

• 8 large eggs

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (2 tablespoons Duke’s, 1 tablespoon Kewpie)

• 1 teaspoon mustard

• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

• Pickled jalapeños (garnish)

Serves 8

Directions for the Candied Bacon

1. Lay down strips of bacon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silicon mat. Place into a cold oven and then heat to 350-degrees. Starting in a cold oven will ensure that your bacon doesn’t burn. Cook for 20 minutes.

2. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, crank the heat to 425-degrees. Sprinkle brown sugar generously over the partially cooked bacon strips. Return to the oven and cook for another ten minutes or until the bacon is cooked and the sugar has caramelized.

3. Transfer the candied bacon to a smaller sheet with a fitted rack. Allowing air to circulate under the cooked bacon pieces will ensure that it becomes crispy.

Directions for the Chimichurri

1. Mix all of the ingredients together. Tasting often in order to adjust seasoning. Set aside.

Directions for the Deviled Eggs

1. Bring a medium sauce pot of water to a boil. Slowly lower the eggs into the boiling water. Bring the water back up to a rolling boil before covering and removing from the heat. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for 12 minutes.

2. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Then, individually crack the shells of the eggs so that the water penetrates the eggs whites more quickly. This will make them easier to peel.

3. Once cooled, slice the eggs in half and separate the yolks from the whites. Gather all of your yolks and mix together with mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. I like using a fork to mash everything together.

4. To assemble the deviled eggs, fill a small Ziplock bag with the filling. Cut a small corner of the bag to make a makeshift piping bag. Fill each egg white with one tablespoon of the filling before topping with a bit of chimichurri, piece of candied bacon, and pickled jalapeño. Enjoy!