Robert Duncan
Robert Duncan of Dittmer won the appetizer category with a recipe that he had to rechristen.
“I made these and took them to a party a few years ago and someone said, ‘Who brought the deconstructed deviled eggs?’” he said. “I thought that sounded kind of negative, so I call them Reconstructed Deviled Eggs.”
Duncan, who also cracked the top three in the soup and side dish categories, is an inveterate experimenter when it comes to recipes. He and his wife, Judy, enjoy hunting for interesting and unusual recipes, often using ingredients not typical to the Midwest palate.
“I found something similar in an old cookbook years ago, and I started working with it,” he said. “You know how we do, tailoring it to our own needs. There are so many variations; you can use jalapenos, and there are so many different hard cheeses you could roll them in. I’m going to try Parmesan next time.”
Duncan said he has made several new friends since he’s been volunteering with the Peace Pantry in Cedar Hill.
“I met a young lady named Kelli Williams, and she started talking about gardening and canning,” he said. “I said, ‘Whoa! You gotta meet my wife!’ and just yesterday they were canning together.”
Duncan, speaking by cell phone from his deer stand, said he hopes to replenish his venison stock, which he’s sure to turn into something new and delicious.
“I’ve seen recipes for bacon-wrapped meat loaf and thought it sounded interesting,” he said, “so I did half-beef, half-bison and wrapped it in duck bacon.
“There’s nothing better, sitting on your deer stand at lunchtime, than a nice slice between two pieces of bread.”
Reconstructed Deviled Eggs
Robert Duncan, Dittmer
6 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and finely chopped
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon yellow or Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar (or any of your favorite cheeses)
In a bowl, combine first seven ingredients until creamy. Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in cheese to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Note: We put these into mini-cupcake papers to serve; it’s a little easier to handle.
