Herby Pickled Eggs Recipe

Eggs are one of the world's best foodstuffs, used in cakes and breads, in soups and soufflés, and of course in countless egg dishes, from omelets to frittatas. But on its own, the humble egg doesn't have a lot of flavor, which is why you'll love the fact that these herby pickled eggs are bursting with flavor, and all with just a few minutes of hands-on work.

Now, who is this Herby fellow for whom these eggs are named? Not a fellow, actually, but... herbs. "The name really comes from how the eggs look in the jar, all muddled up with the green herbs," explains recipe developer Jennine Bryant of The Marshside Pantry. Now, how to enjoy the herby eggs? So may ways. "Pickled eggs are such a versatile and flavorful food. They are a great protein-rich snack by themselves with a little salt and pepper, great as a lunch or as picnic food, or as an appetizer alongside drinks or before dinner," she suggests. "They can be incorporated into food like salads for an extra punch of flavor, which I love doing." You could also make deviled eggs with them, serve them on avocado toast — the list goes on and on!

To make a half dozen herby pickled eggs, you'll need, of course, six eggs. You'll also need white wine vinegar, sugar, fresh thyme, fresh tarragon, garlic, fennel seeds, and peppercorns. "The star ingredient in this recipe has to be the eggs once they are pickled, but flavor-wise, it has to be the aniseed undertones that come from the fennel seeds and the tarragon together," says Bryant.

Place the vinegar, sugar, garlic, fennel seeds, and peppercorns into a saucepan and heat everything together for 5 minutes, or until all of the sugar has dissolved. Stir occasionally while you are heating the pickling liquid. When the sugar has dissolved, remove the pickling liquid from the heat and it allow to cool completely.

In a medium-sized saucepan, add the eggs and enough cold water to cover them fully (but use just enough, not an excess). Turn the heat on and bring the water to a gentle simmer, and once the water is simmering, cook the eggs for 10 minutes.

Once the time is up, remove the eggs from the hot water and instantly plunge them into cold water to stop them cooking further. Allow them to sit in the cold water for a few minutes until they are cool to the touch. (And yes, by the way, that is a recipe for great hard boiled eggs in and of itself.)

Once eggs are cool, peel the shells off of them and place them into a sterilized jar with a lid you can secure.

Place the fresh thyme and fresh tarragon into the jar with the peeled eggs and then pour over the cooled pickling liquid, making sure it completely covers the eggs. Seal the jar and leave it for at least one week in a cool, dark place before consuming the eggs. Once the jar has been opened, keep the pickled eggs in the fridge and enjoy them within two weeks.

And enjoy them you will, trust Bryant on this one. She says: "Pickled eggs have got a bit of a bad rep as 'old people food,' [which] is such a shame because, done right, they are delicious as well as nutritious, and there are so many spice and herb variations that the possibilities really are endless."