By Pervaiz Shallwani

For The Associated Press

There was a time when deviled eggs lived up to their name.

Despite the many impostors that parade about under the name today (whipped tofu, anyone?), deviled eggs once were a simple mash of egg yolk and a fiery ingredient (such as cayenne or Dijon) dolloped into a cooked egg white.

"Originally, it was supposed to mean something spicy," says Debbie Moose, the author of "Deviled Eggs: 50 Recipes From Simple to Sassy." "But now it's just a generic term for a stuffed egg."

In fact, for many years America's go-to cookbook, "Joy of Cooking," distinguished between deviled and stuffed eggs.

It's a distinction mostly lost in today's anything-goes culinary world that too often produces dry, rubbery deviled eggs with goopy, flavorless (or just plain strange) yolk fillings.

If you find yourself hankering for a great deviled egg, a real deviled egg, here's what you need to know.

The eggs

Farm-fresh eggs are fine for an omelet, but give them a pass for hard-boiling. Fresh eggs have strong membranes between the shell and the white. This makes it difficult to remove the shell without damaging the white.

Eggs from the grocer should be fine, but when in doubt, age them a week.

While older eggs make peeling easier, they will hinder your chances of perfectly centered yolks, an essential element of an attractive deviled egg.

The older an egg, the less likely its yolk is to be centered.

Here's a workaround. Put a rubber band or tape around the egg carton to keep it closed, then set the carton on its side in the refrigerator for 24 hours. The yolks will drift back to the center.

The cooking

Just about everyone agrees to start with cool water. Plunging an egg into boiling water can cause it to crack.

As for timing, the American Egg Board takes a simple approach that works well. They suggest bringing the water and eggs to a boil, then covering and removing the pan from the heat, allowing the eggs to cook via residual heat for 15 minutes.

Post doctoring

* If not cooled correctly, yolks can develop an unsightly and slightly bitter gray color. To avoid this, plunge the just-cooked eggs into a bowl of ice water. The rapid temperature change also weakens the shell, making peeling easier.

* No one wants pockmarked whites, so peeling method is key. Start by cracking the shell by gently rolling and pressing the cooled eggs over the counter. You also can lightly tap the shell with the back of a spoon.

To peel, Moose suggests starting at the larger end of the egg, which should have an air pocket under the shell. If the shell still sticks, hold it under cold running water while peeling.

* Cutting the eggs is a delicate task. The goal is a smooth, clean cut that will not damage the white. This requires a sharp knife with a thin blade. A paring knife wiped clean and dunked in cold water before each cut works best.

The yolk should come out easily once the egg is halved, but if not, use a small spoon to gently scoop it. A wet paper towel or cool running water can be used to wipe out any crumbs.

Classic Deviled Eggs

Makes 12 deviled egg halves

6 large eggs

Ice cubes

1 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or several splashes of hot sauce)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Paprika, to garnish

Place the eggs in a large saucepan, then add enough cold water to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch. Set over high heat until the water just comes to a rolling boil.

Immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover and let sit 15 minutes.

While the eggs rest, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.

When the eggs are ready, use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the eggs to the ice water and let stand 5 minutes.

As described above, gently peel the eggs and cut each in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks from each egg half and place them in a wire mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Use a wet paper towel to wipe clean the egg whites or gently rinse whites under cool water. Set aside the egg whites.

Using the underside of a spoon, press the yolks through the strainer. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne and lemon juice to the yolks and mix until smooth and thick. Season with salt, pepper and additional cayenne, if desired.

Use a rubber spatula to transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star-shaped tip. Refrigerate the bag for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until chilled.

When ready to serve, arrange the egg whites on a platter.

Using a flat platter, the rounded bottom of each white can be trimmed flat with a paring knife to help the eggs sit flat.

Pipe the yolk mixture into each egg white, mounding it about 1/2 inch above the top of the egg. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.