Stuffed Hard-Boiled Eggs (Œufs durs farcis)

Ingredients

• 6 pcsEgg
• 150 mlMilk
• 30 gButter
• 12 gFlour
• 10 gSardelle
• 4 gChives
• 2 gParsley
• 30 gGruyère
• 2 gSalt
• 0.5 gPepper
• 0.3 gNutmeg

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook and prepare eggs

   • Cook the eggs in boiling water for 9–11 minutes until hard-boiled.
   • Shock eggs in cold water, peel and halve lengthwise.
   • Carefully remove the yolks and set the whites aside.
2. 2

   Make béchamel

   • Melt butter (15 g) in a small saucepan over medium heat.
   • Stir in flour (12 g) and cook 1–2 minutes without browning.
   • Gradually whisk in milk (150 ml) until smooth and thick. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of grated nutmeg.
   • Reserve about 2–3 tbsp of béchamel for the yolk filling; the rest is for covering before gratinéing.
3. 3

   Prepare filling

   • Push the yolks through a fine sieve into a bowl to obtain a smooth purée.
   • Stir the reserved béchamel (about 2 tbsp) into the yolks until smooth.
   • Finely chop chives and sweat them in 5 g butter, then add to the yolk mixture.
   • Mix in anchovy paste, chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. 4

   Fill and gratin

   • Pipe or spoon the yolk mixture into the egg white hollows in small domes.
   • Coat the filled eggs with the remaining béchamel, sprinkle with grated cheese and drizzle with melted butter (10 g).
   • Gratin under the grill (or in the oven at 220 °C top heat) until golden, 2–4 minutes.
   • Arrange on a serving platter and serve immediately with tomato sauce or braised greens if desired.