Deviled Eggs in Paradise

Make deviled eggs that will make your guests rave with this Hawaiian contest-winning recipe. Photo by SHNS.

On vacation you can eat too much, pack too many clothes and sit in the sun too long, but you can't walk too far. And the most pleasurable things don't have to bust the budget.

My husband, Ace, my mother and I are reflecting on our two weeks in Maui, where friends still make the best fun and a long walk along the coast near Napili takes you up close and personal to the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands.

Friends treated us to a couple of four-star restaurants, and we reached deep in our pockets to attend a Broadway-quality show of Hawaiian music, dancing and history called "Ulalena" in Lahaina and a concert under the stars by Jimmy Buffett in Kahului. We reveled with The Parrotheads, his loyal followers, in his first show in 15 years in Maui.

Hearing him sing "Margaritaville" in a place, where, as he playfully put it, "the palms are not just stage props," was magic.

Maui offers less expensive times, too, like a free hula show and an inexpensive fish sandwich at the Honolua Store in Kapalua, where plantation workers can still buy groceries and eat a mixed-plate lunch that always includes rice and macaroni.

We had a great time. On the last day, we had eggs left over, so I decided to overcome my nemesis: making hard-cooked eggs. They were devils in Hawaii, just as at home. It was the same old problem: If an egg is aged enough to peel, the yolk is off-center. Never mind those people like Jody, who claims she never has a bit of trouble. I've tried her foolproof method of bringing the eggs to a boil, turning off the heat and letting the eggs sit in the hot water for 10 minutes, and then dousing them in cold water.

My eggs' shells clung to the white tighter than a pensioner hangs on to his money. Pinching pennies on holiday can be a false economy, says our friend Sharon, who has wintered at Honokeana Cove, where we stayed, for nearly 20 years. It's perfect for Ace, who often snorkeled over its reef four times a day. And it was free.

Not so the grocery store. "The retirees buy gigantic boxes at Costco, then leave the leftovers at the cove when they leave," Sharon says. "It's a crime to waste food."

That's a noble thought, but who wants to make a moral commitment not to waste food on vacation? As for our little band of friends and family, we had a leftovers night before we flew back. Deviled eggs were among my offerings. I tried desperately to duplicate the recipe of Kazuko Nakatsugawa of Kyoto, Japan, whose beautiful creation won the cove's first deviled-egg contest a few nights before. She cut them crosswise (she slices a bit off the bottom so they don't tip over), and zigzagged the edges for a creative presentation.

Sure, I'm a former home-ec teacher, but my rick-rack designs only showed up on shifts I sewed, and my raggedy Maui eggs demonstrated this lack of artistry. The flavor was divine, though, and that's eggs-actly why Rogene and Jody, the contest judges, gave Kazuko first place.

Eggs, which are $1.99 a dozen in Maui, are one of the least expensive meals.

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

1 dozen eggs
1/8 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/8 yellow onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
mayonnaise, to taste and texture
whole-grain Dijon mustard, to taste

Preparation:

Boil eggs, stirring occasionally (so the yolk will be center) until hard-cooked. The recipe then says: "Cool in ice water and remove yolks. Add remaining ingredients." We say, cool in ice water, and then cut eggs in half crosswise, slicing a bit off bottom, so they will stand upright. Remove yolks.

Add remaining ingredients to yolks and mix for filling.

To add texture to filling, chop up one egg white very finely, and add to mixture.

Spoon mixture back into egg whites and garnish with a parsley leaf.

--Kazuko Nakatsugawa

Evelyn's Japanese Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 large head cabbage, chopped
6 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted
6 green onions, chopped
2 pkgs. Top Ramen noodles
4 Tbs. oil

Dressing Ingredients:

1 cup oil
4 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. vinegar

Preparation:

Mix first five ingredients in a large bowl. (We poached the chicken breasts in the microwave; add a little water with the chicken breasts, loosely cover microwave-safe bowl and cook until the juices run clear.)

Open noodle packages and break up into smaller pieces. In a large skillet, heat oil and add noodles, frying lightly. Add to bowl once cooled. Mix ingredients for dressing in a small bowl, then pour over salad mix, coating and mixing well.

Serves 10.

--Louisa Shelton in Kapalua Cooks: A Collection of Favorite Recipes From the Employees of Kapalua Land Company