Appetizer's

BEDEVILED EGGS

The seeds of the Mexican tabasco chili were
planted on Avery Island, Louisiana, in the mid
1800s, and in 1868, former New Orleans banker
Edmund McIlhenny be gan experimenting with them.
He created Tabasco sauce by mixing mashed chilies
with salt, letting them age in oak barrels, then
adding vinegar. Tabasco is so popular today that
it often appears on restaurant tables right next
to the salt and pepper. A good dose of the stuff
puts the devil in these eggs.

• 8 hard-boiled large eggs, peeled
• 1/4 cup purchased tartar sauce
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
  (such as Gulden’s)
  
• 1 1/4 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot pepper
  sauce
  
• Paprika

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop out yolks;
place in small bowl. Add tartar sauce, mustard
and Tabasco; mash with fork. Season with salt
and pepper. Spoon mixture into egg white halves,
dividing equally. Sprinkle with paprika.
(Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)

Makes 8 appetizer servings.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND SOUR CREAM SPREAD

Leaping off the backs of onion-soup-mix boxes
and showing up at cocktail parties everywhere,
Lipton’s sour cream-and-onion dip took the country
by storm. Convenient and quick, the dip also
tasted great on potato chips, without which,
in the fifties anyway, it wasn’t a party. These
days it isn’t a party without little toasts topped
by something Mediterranean-hence this zesty update.

• 3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 fennel bulb, cored, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon drained capers

18 4x1 1/2x1/4-inch slices olive bread
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet
over medium heat. Add onion and next 4
ingredients. Cover; cook until vegetables
release their juices, stirring occasionally,
about 12 minutes. Uncover; sauté until juices
evaporate, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook
until vegetables are very tender and just
beginning to brown, about 12 minutes longer.
Cool completely.
Puree vegetable mixture and sour cream in
processor until almost smooth. Season generously
with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle
with capers.
Preheat broiler. Arrange bread slices on baking
sheet. Brush both sides of bread slices with 1/3
cup oil. Toast about 2 minutes per side. Cool.
Serve with spread.
A combination of dried thyme, basil, savory and
fennel seeds can be substituted for herbes de
Provence.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.