Tuna stuffed eggs

Stuffed eggs with tuna are a classic party nibble. The creamy filling with tuna, gherkin and dill makes them savoury and fresh at the same time. If desired, vary with salmon instead of tuna, but the classic tuna version is given below.

Serves: approx. 4 (16 stuffed egg halves)
Preparation: approx. 0 minutes
Cooking: approx. 30 minutes
Total time: approx. 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 medium eggs
• 200 g tinned tuna, drained
• 3 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 tsp smooth mustard, preferably Dijon
• 2 gherkins (sweet and sour)
• 1 small handful of dill + extra sprigs of dill for garnish
• optional 1–2 tsp lemon juice
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Take the eggs out of the fridge in good time so they are not ice-cold; this makes them less likely to crack.
• Rinse the eggs briefly under cold water.
• Wash the dill and pat dry.
• Prepare a bowl of ice-cold water to cool the eggs down in later.

Method

1. Hard-boil the eggs
   Place the eggs in a pan and pour in cold water until they are well covered. Bring the water to the boil. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down so the water keeps simmering gently. Cook the eggs for 9–10 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. Then immediately lift the eggs out with a spoon into the bowl of ice-cold water and let them cool thoroughly.
2. Peel and halve the eggs
   Carefully peel the eggs and pat them dry if necessary. Cut each egg in half lengthways. Carefully scoop out the yolks and put them in a mixing bowl. Place the whites on a serving platter.
3. Make the tuna filling
   Mash the egg yolks finely with a fork. Drain the tuna well and add it to the yolks. Finely chop the gherkins and add them. Finely chop the dill (set the sprigs aside for garnish) and add it to the mixture. Add the crème fraîche and the mustard. Mix everything well until you have a cohesive, creamy filling. Taste and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and, if desired, 1–2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
4. Adjust the filling if needed
   If the filling is too dry, add a little extra crème fraîche. If the filling is too soft, add some extra finely mashed egg yolk (if you have an extra egg to hand) or a little extra tuna. You can mix this with a fork for a slightly coarser texture. If you use a food processor, pulse only briefly, so the filling retains some texture.
5. Fill and serve the eggs
   Put the filling into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, or use a teaspoon. Generously fill the cavities of the egg whites with the tuna mixture. Garnish each half egg with a small sprig of dill and, if desired, a little freshly ground black pepper. Keep the platter covered in the fridge until needed. Preferably serve well chilled.