Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place all ten bacon slices in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until deeply crispy, about eight to ten minutes total. Move the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool briefly. Once cool enough to handle, finely crumble two slices for the filling mixture, then cut the remaining eight slices into small bite-sized topping pieces. Keep the topping pieces set aside in a separate spot so they remain crisp until assembly.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Gently lower the twelve eggs into the boiling water using a slotted spoon. Immediately dial the heat down to a gentle simmer and set a timer for exactly twelve minutes — this precise timing yields creamy yolks without any gray-green ring. While the eggs simmer, prepare a large bowl filled with ice water. When the timer rings, use the slotted spoon to transfer the hot eggs directly into the ice bath. Let them chill for fifteen minutes to halt the cooking and simplify peeling.
- Peel each chilled egg under a stream of cool running water, then pat dry with a towel. Slice the eggs lengthwise down the middle and carefully scoop the yolks into a mixing bowl. Arrange the empty whites on a serving platter. Using a fork, mash the yolks until mostly smooth. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper, then stir vigorously until the mixture is silky and free of lumps — for the smoothest texture, press the yolk mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Gently fold in the finely minced shallot, the two tablespoons of minced sun-dried tomato, and the two crumbled bacon slices you prepared earlier.
- Scoop the filling into a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip, or simply use a spoon to fill each egg white half generously. Dust the top of each filled egg with a small pinch of smoked paprika. Layer on one piece of the crispy bacon, a small pinch of crumbled blue cheese, one piece of sun-dried tomato, one thin slice of black olive, and one small spinach or arugula leaf — adding the greens last keeps them from wilting against warm filling. Finish by scattering the finely chopped fresh chives over the entire platter just before you serve.
Notes
You can boil the eggs and prepare the filling up to one day ahead — store the filled whites covered in the refrigerator and add the toppings just before serving so the bacon stays crispy and the greens remain fresh. For a completely smooth, pipeable filling, press the yolk mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before folding in the mix-ins. If blue cheese isn't your preference, crumbled feta or shredded sharp cheddar both work well as substitutes. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days; do not freeze, as the whites turn rubbery and the filling separates upon thawing.
