Deviled Eggs with Pimento Cheese and Pork Belly

Heritage Food and Drink, Waxhaw

Deviled Eggs The North State Journal | Eamon Queeney

They’ll pave the way on the picnic table for this plate of deviled egg goodness.

Start to finish: 1 hour, plus overnight refrigeration

Makes 24 deviled eggs

Pork Belly

1 pound Heritage Farms skin-on pork belly

chicken stock

canola oil

salt

pepper

Heat the oven to 350 F. Cut pork belly into a square or rectangle, then season with salt and pepper and sear on all sides. Place seared pork belly in a baking dish and top with enough chicken stock to barely cover it. Cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, making sure to seal tightly. Cook for 3-4 hours, until fork-tender and almost falling apart. Cool pork belly slightly, then transfer to a baking sheet. Cover with parchment paper, top with another baking sheet, then set a few heavy objects on top. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, scrape off excess fat, pan-fry in oil until crispy, then chop and fold into pimento cheese mixture.

Pimento Cheese

½ cup diced pimentos or roasted red peppers

8 ounces finely grated extra sharp cheddar

2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Crispy Pork Belly

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold desired amount into egg yolk mixture.

Deviled Eggs

1 dozen locally grown eggs

¼ cup and 3 tablespoons Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce

2 teaspoons French’s Classic Yellow Mustard

Place the bowl and blade of your food processor in the freezer for at least 15 minutes (the chilled bowl helps keep the yolk mixture from separating).

Bring a pot of cold water to a rapid boil. Add eggs and boil for 8 minutes, then remove pot from heat and let eggs rest in the hot water for another 8 minutes. Remove eggs and place in a bowl of ice water. Allow to cool completely for 10 to 15 minutes. Peel eggs, then rinse to remove shell debris. Pat dry, slice in half, and remove yolks.

Place yolks, mayonnaise, Sriracha, and mustard in chilled food processor and pulse until smooth (do not overmix). Add salt and pepper to taste.

“My aunts made deviled eggs for every single family function, and I always looked forward to them. They’re such a fun vessel for flavors. At Heritage, I can’t even count how many different variations we’ve done. I’m a Yankee, but I’ve totally adopted the South and I love cooking with Southern ingredients. You can’t get much more Southern than pimento cheese.” – Paul Verica, Chef