Despite the proliferation of hard-boiled egg methods, the essentials are all pretty much the same: place eggs in a saucepan, cover them with cool water, bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. In 9-12 minutes, the eggs are ready to peel and eat. But what if instead, you let the eggs cook for seven hours – or longer? It sounds like a kitchen disaster, but it’s actually a delicious Sephardic tradition.
Huevos Haminados are traditionally served at Passover seders in Kolkata, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Tunisia and other places. The name reflects the eggs’ Medieval Spanish origin. They derive from the religious prohibition of cooking on Shabbat. You can slow-cook them in hamin, the Hebrew word for the better known cholent, starting Friday afternoon for a tasty Saturday treat.
One recipe for huevos haminados calls for tea leaves, coffee grounds, and onion skins to be placed in the cooking water, with oil and vinegar. The egg whites turn a brownish color, with a nutty flavor and a creamy texture. Eggcellent!
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