Thousand-Year-Old Deviled Eggs and Crab

• eggs↗6
• darjeeling tea bags↗6

  or 6 other black tea bags

• soy sauce↗1⁄4 cup
• crabmeat↗6 ounces

  picked over and flaked

• minced shallot1⁄4 cup
• minced pickled ginger2 tablespoons
• pickled ginger liquid↗1 tablespoon

  (optional)

• mayonnaise↗6 tablespoons

  regular or reduced-fat

• rice wine vinegar↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• wasabi powder1 pinch

  or wasabi paste

• fine sea salt↗

  to taste

• white pepper

  to taste

• pickled ginger↗1

  slice (garnish)

• chives

  cut into 1-inch lengths (garnish)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put eggs in a saucepan; cover with water.

2. 2

   Bring just to a boil.

3. 3

   Reduce heat; gently simmer 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Lift out eggs with a slotted spoon; set aside.

5. 5

   When cool enough to handle, roll eggs on a counter to crack shells all over.

6. 6

   DO NOT PEEL!

7. 7

   Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add the tea bags and soy sauce; remove from heat and steep 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Discard tea bags, squeezing to extract as much liquid as possible.

9. 9

   Place eggs in liquid, simmer gently for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight in liquid.

10. 10

    Drain eggs; peel and blot dry.

11. 11

    Let them stand for at least 1 hour uncovered in the refrigerator for the marbled pattern to develop.

12. 12

    Carefully cut the eggs in half lengthwise; remove and mash the yolks.

13. 13

    Combine yolks with crabmeat, shallots, and minced pickled ginger.

14. 14

    Blend the pickled ginger liquid (if using), mayonnaise, vinegar, and wasabi together; combine with crab mixture.

15. 15

    Season to taste with salt and pepper.

16. 16

    Fill each egg half with rounded mound of the crab mixture.

17. 17

    Top with a small slice of pickled ginger and a piece of chive.