Smoked Deviled Eggs

• For the pickled jalapeños: 
• 2 jalapeño peppers
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup Champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• For the pickled shallots:
• 1 medium shallots
• 2 lemons
• For the deviled eggs:
• 12 large, cage-free organic eggs
• 2 drops liquid smoke (if using, see below)
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise 
• 2 tablespoons pickled shallots
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• Pinch cayenne pepper 
• 1/2 pound bacon
• For the salsa verde:
• 1/2 bunch Italian parsley
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pickled shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• To garnish:
• Fleur de sel, to taste
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives

Make the pickled jalapeños: Slice the jalapeños into thin rings about 1/8-inch thick. Rinse the seeds out of the jalapeños under cold water. Rinse and drain the jalapeños and place them in a heat-resistant container. In a sauce pot, combine the sugar, Champagne vinegar, and salt, and bring to a boil. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the jalapeños. Keep your face far from the jalapeños as you pour the vinegar over them. Cover the container while the liquid is still hot and store on the counter until it has cooled to room temperature. Then store in the fridge. They will keep for at least a week.

Make the pickled shallots: Peel and finely mince the shallots. Juice the lemons over the shallots in a non-reactive container, and set aside. Pickled shallots should not be used sooner than one hour after combining the shallots and lemon juice, but kept no longer than 24 hours.

Make the deviled eggs: Place the eggs in a large pot. Cover with water until the eggs are submerged by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 12 minutes. Shock the eggs in ice water and peel them once cooled. Trim a little off a side of each peeled egg so that it creates a level surface. Cut the eggs in half across the middle. Remove and place the yolks in a bowl. Place the whites on a tray. 

Cold-smoke the cooked egg whites and yolks in a smoker with wood chips over low heat for 20 minutes. If you do not have a smoker, add a couple drops of liquid smoke to the egg yolk mixture described below.

Smash the smoked yolks with a potato masher until they reach a sand-like consistency. Mix in about 2/3 cup of mayonnaise. Add in the pickled shallots, salt, Tabasco sauce, and a pinch of cayenne to the mixture. Transfer the mixture into piping or freezer bags and store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Make the bacon: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lay out 1/2 pound of bacon on a nonstick baking sheet, and cover with another baking sheet so that the bacon is sandwiched between the two pans.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the bacon has rendered out all of the fat and the strips are crispy.

Make the salsa verde: Finely chop the parsley. Combine the parsley with extra virgin olive oil, pickled shallots, and salt in a bowl. 

Assemble the eggs: Cut the end off of the piping bag or freezer bag and fill the egg whites evenly until all of the yolk mixture is used. Top each egg with a slice of pickled jalapeños, a small piece of crispy bacon, a dash of salsa verde, and sliced chives. Finish with fleur de sel.