Deviled Eggs

From Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough’s HAM: AN OBSESSION WITH THE HINDQUARTER (Stewart, Tabori, & Chang, 2010).

Here’s a meal in a bite. Bruce brought a tray to his knitting class in West Hartford. He said the women “fell upon them.”
Makes 12 deviled egg halves
6 large eggs
4 ounces (1/4 pound) smoked, wet-cured ham, such as a spiral-sliced ham (but any sugary coating removed), finely chopped into 1/4-inch bits
1 medium scallion, minced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
2 tablespoons minced celery (about 1/2 a small rib)
2 teaspoons prepared jarred white horseradish
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon minced tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional
Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, such as Tabasco sauce, to taste

1. Set the eggs in a large saucepan, cover them with cool water until the water itself stands about 1 inch over the eggs, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 2 minutes, then cover the pan and set off the heat for 7 minutes.
2. Carefully drain the pan over the sink, leaving the eggs inside; then run lots of cold tap water into it to bring the eggs to room temperature. Peel off the shells under a stream of cool water.
3. Split the eggs in half lengthwise and use a little spoon to scoop the yellow yolks into a large bowl, taking care not to break or tear the whites. Save these back on a plate.
4. Mix the yolks with all the remaining ingredients: the ham, scallion, mayonnaise, celery, horseradish, vinegar, tarragon, dry mustard, cayenne (if desired), and the hot red pepper sauce. The back of a fork will mash the yolks fully into the mixture. Then use a small spoon to pile this mixture back into the indentations in the halved egg whites.
5. Place on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours before serving so the flavors meld a bit.