Stuffed eggs with olives

Hard-boiled eggs are stuffed with a delicious olive-enriched mixture, to create a classic savoury starter, light lunch, or part of a festive buffet.

I was looking back at some photographs from a Lag B’Omer bonfire and barbecue a couple of years ago. I remembered how I’d learned at this event about eating hard boiled eggs on Lag B’Omer.

It seems that as well as making fires, getting haircuts, and playing with bows and arrows, some Jews also have this custom. The eggs may be dyed with onion skins or tea leaves to give them red shells, or painted in different colours.

Origins of this custom

To understand why eggs are eaten on Lag B’Omer, first we have to know what Lag B’Omer is all about! Its name simply means ’33rd day of the Omer’ i.e. the 33rd day of the seven week period we count between Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Pentecost.)

The Omer is a sombre time, during which we abstain from parties, weddings, music and other merry-making. It is customary to refrain from haircuts and generally to observe the period as one of semi-mourning. On Lag B’Omer the rules of mourning are lifted and the day is one of celebration instead.

There are two main reasons offered for this.

Rabbi Akiva and the plague

The first reason is that a plague had afflicted the students of Rabbi Akiva (c. 40–137 CE), causing 24,000 of them to die. It is said that the disease was sent by G-d to punish them for not showing one another sufficient respect. A lesson for us all, there, I think.

However, on Lag B’Omer, the plague lifted, and hence, the rules of mourning are lifted.

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai

The second reason, which sounds at first a little back-to-front, is that Lag B’Omer marks the yarzeit or death-date, of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. While we might expect this to be a sad day, it is not, as tradition holds that on the day of his death he revealed the deepest secrets of the Torah in the kabbalistic book known as the Zohar.

The story goes that his house was filled with fire and light as he taught his students. As the day came to an end, the fire died down and Rabbi Shimon passed away. However as his soul had achieved a higher level, this was seen as a something to be celebrated rather than mourned.

Each year on Lag B’Omer, his students would light bonfires and sing and dance, as they attempted to bring his light back to the world.

What about the eggs?

Eggs are eaten on Lag B’Omer as they are a traditional mourning food. Eggs are traditionally served at the seudat havra’ah – the meal of consolation served to mourners after a funeral. They are said to symbolise the cyclical nature of life.

The custom of colouring the eggs is to turn them from a mourning food into something celebratory, since Lag B’Omer is considered to be a happy day.

I was delighted to learn about the tradition to eat hard boiled eggs, because otherwise Lag B’Omer tends to go heavy on the non-vegetarian foods. Although there are a great many veggie and vegan things that can be cooked on a Lag B’Omer barbecue, non-meat eaters can sometimes be overlooked.

Now there is a vegetarian option that is an important Lag B’Omer tradition! Yay!

Stuffed hard boiled eggs

Of course, we could just eat our hard boiled eggs and keep quiet about it. But I decided to fancy them up and make a classic recipe from the magnificent Florence Greenberg instead!

I have the sixth edition of Florence Greenberg’s Jewish Cookery Book, which dates from 1962 and originally belonged to my Great Aunt. It has some terrific recipes in it which will never go out of style. And some others which already have…

For instance, these eggs stuffed with olives are on the same page as savoury meringues. No thanks.

Eggs stuffed with olives

I imagine that these hard boiled eggs stuffed with olives would have made a chic dinner party starter in the days when people had those sorts of dinner parties. Florence includes them in her chapter of “hors d’oeuvre and cocktail savouries.” Oh my.

Ingredients for stuffed eggs with olives

These yummy stuffed eggs only have a few basic ingredients and are very quick and easy to make. To whip up a batch yourself you will need:

• hard boiled eggs – of course!
• black olives
• mayonnaise
• sliced beetroot and watercress to serve – optional

Simply halve the eggs and scoop out the yolks. Then mash the yolks with the finely chopped olives and mayonnaise. Spoon this mixture back into the egg whites. Finally, arrange the eggs on slices of beetroot and decorate with watercress.

Boiling your eggs

There are many Jewish traditions surrounding the boiling of eggs. To read more about them, take a look at this article about egg and onion.

When to eat stuffed eggs

We like to include these stuffed eggs as part of a cold buffet. They’re perfect as a Shabbat lunch dish, or at Seuda Shlishit – the ‘third meal’ on Shabbat which is usually a light tea of challah, dairy foods and salads.

They’re also great for Succot, when stuffed foods of all kinds are traditional.

And of course you can serve them on Pesach, when eggs often take centre stage!

A leafy garnish

Florence Greenberg uses mustard-and-cress as a leafy garnish for these delicious eggs. These peppery sprouts were ubiquitous on salads when I was a child, and were often paired with eggs in a classic egg and cress sandwich. However they must have fallen out of favour because I couldn’t find them anywhere!

If you can find it, you can certainly use mustand-and-cress shoots. Alternatively I have used watercress, which also has a tangy, peppery flavour, and makes a very pretty leafy garnish.

Florence also suggests that you smooth the surface of the filling using a wet knife, to give a neat and tidy presentation. You’re welcome to do this, but I prefer the filling to be piled up in craggy mounds, then topped with a sprig of cress. This also avoids the problem of what to do with any leftover filling. (Top tip – it’s great on a cracker!)

Pink eggs?

In the original recipe, Florence directs cooks to serve these stuffed eggs on “slices of beetroot”. It does make for a nice presentation, but I would say is not essential.

However, the slices of beetroot do create bright pink eggs, at least in places. Perfect for Lag B’Omer!

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📖 Recipe

More Lag B’Omer recipes

If you’d like to take a look at more ideas for celebrating Lag BaOmer, check out this list of ultimate meatless barbecue recipes.

More delicious egg recipes

Eggs are quick, tasty, and a terrific source of protein. If you’d like more recipes where eggs are the star, check out:

• Aubergine shakshuka
• Baked eggs in sweet potatoes
• Egg and onion
• Fower toast aka ‘egg in the basket’

I’m linking this recipe up with #CookBlogShare.