Very simple to prepare, mimosa eggs have had many ancestors since the Middle Ages in the form of variations of stuffed eggs, leading, at the beginning of the 20th century, to the typical recipe based on mayonnaise and parsley. How did they end up on our Christmas tables? Well, there really isn’t an official explanation, so let’s allow ourselves some speculation. In particular, you should know that the recipe included, in the 1910s, a stuffing of foie gras puree covered with mayonnaise, crumbled yolk and chopped parsley. Subsequently, seafood was invited, particularly shrimp, which gives the deviled eggs a little festive air, let’s admit it. Finally, we can assume that the speed and simplicity of preparation make it an ideal candidate for cooks who are very busy in the kitchen at the end of the year.
Knowing that chef Billy Galindo swears by duck eggs since his time at the Darna restaurant, it was natural that we turned to him to revisit deviled eggs. “The yolk is creamy, with more flavor, and the white is firmer. It’s also better for your health in terms of cholesterol,” explains the owner of Billy, I’m hungry!, located on rue Saint-Denis.
Building on this original base, he imagined a reinterpretation based on Quebec products, like the menus of his establishment, but with references to the south of France – he is originally from Aveyron. The driving idea: to give a nod to rouille, a sort of Mediterranean mayonnaise served on croutons. “In France, fish soup normally comes with rouille, croutons and cheese. The mayonnaise makes the binder. At the restaurant, the fish soup that I serve is made with halibut, char and a touch of Ricard, but we find the taste of a fish soup from the south of France,” he says.
Its version of the mimosa egg contains garlic from Quebec, giving it a double regional accent. “I put a lot of garlic everywhere in my kitchen, we find my origins there,” confesses Mr. Galindo. The latter was also inspired by… the consumption habits of its Quebec customers, which resulted in the addition of straw potatoes under the egg. “A lot of customers order fish soup with fries from me, especially old men who dip their fries in the soup. I never thought I would do this! But obviously, it works,” marvels Mr. Galindo, who took the opportunity to create a charming aesthetic, the arrangement of the thin fried matches evoking a bird’s nest.
Proof that the mayonnaise has set well, the “mimosa duck egg, rouille and straw potatoes” has been added to Billy’s menu, I’m hungry!
Prep: 30 minutesCook: 15 minutesYield: 4 servings