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March 19, 2013

Natural Easter Eggs 3 Ways!

Name: Natural Easter Eggs 3 Ways!
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 eggs
Ingredients: 1 pair of nylon stockings OR foil; A few sprigs of fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, etc.); 12 white eggs; About 1/2 of a plastic grocery bag of yellow onion peels; 1/2 Tbsp salt

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Last week I made a gigantic run in my pantyhose. I’ve never been happier to destroy a pair of good tights (I knew the Easter eggs were coming up!). Pantyhose work best. You can buy a cheap pair for a couple bucks, but foil is a good alternative. I tested both.

The dye is au naturale; the woodsy tones are extracted from onion peels! Some people prefer red onion, but the color gets pretty dark; I like the yellow onion mo’ betta. This whole process of dyeing Easter eggs took me 30-40 minutes and that’s with cooking them in 2 batches. Not bad. It’s easier than it looks.

What You’ll Need:

1 pair of nylon stockings OR foil
A few sprigs of fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, etc.)
12 white eggs
About 1/2 of a plastic grocery bag of yellow onion peels
1/2 Tbsp salt

How To Natural Easter Eggs:

Fill a medium pot with 2/3 of the onion peels and add water until it’s about one third full. Boil for 10 minutes to allow the onion to release it’s color then add 1/2 Tbsp salt. While this is cooking, start on your eggs.

Method #1: Herb Prints

Note: foil does not hold herbs well enough; if you want the herb prints, you really NEED nylons.
1. Wrap cilantro, parsley or whatever herbs you wish to use around the egg.

2. Pull the stocking over one hand and place the egg over it, grab a hold of the egg with your stocking hand and wrap your fingers around it being careful to keep the herbs from folding or wrinkling. Invert the stocking over the egg then tighten and twist at the base. The stocking should wrap snuggly around the egg to keep the herbs in place.

3. Tie a string around the base to secure the stocking.

4. Boil for 10 minutes making sure the eggs are fully submerged then remove from water, let cool until they are a safe temperature to handle, then use scissors to cut away the stocking. Wipe away herb remains with a paper towel.

Method #2: Marbelized hues

Note: the inspiration for these marbelized hues is from: Pille’s Estonian eggs

1. Wrap each egg with enough onion peels to cover the surface; there should be no white showing.

2. Pull the stocking over your hand and place the egg over it, grab a hold of the egg with your stocking hand and wrap your fingers around it. Invert the stocking over the egg then tighten and twist at the base.

3. Tie a string around the base to secure the stocking.

4. Boil for 10 minutes making sure the eggs are fully submerged then remove from water, let cool until they are a safe temperature to handle, then use scissors to cut away the stocking.

Method #3: Solid Wood Hues

This is the easiest way to get that beautiful solid woodsy color is to simply put the eggs into the pot directly with the onion peel; no pantyhose required! Cook 10 minutes (longer if you want a darker tone. I posted this easy peasy method a couple years ago

Making the Eggs Shiny:

I like shiny things. You can make these shiny by putting oil on a paper towel and rubbing the eggs with it. Now take a picture and impress all of your friends on Instagram (I’d love to see your creation too: @natashaskitchen).

Oh and one more thing, these make for egg-cellent egg wars (you know, knocking the eggs against each other) I think the trick is to wrap your fingers close to the end you are going to knock. I know it’s early, but Happy Easter Everyone!