Ingredients
Crispy garlic crumbs:
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
1 clove garlic, mashed with fork
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Egg filling:
8 eggs, hard-cooked
2 tablespoons very soft butter, divided use
2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped sundried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeños (regular or tamed, or minced dill pickles if preferred)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
12 inner romaine heart leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Preparation
Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a pan. Remove from heat and stir in garlic and salt; let stand for 10 minutes. Return pan to medium heat and add breadcrumbs, folding until well-coated. Toast until golden brown, stirring and watching to prevent burning; this will take about 3 minutes. Scrape crumbs onto a large plate to cool; wipe out skillet, reserving for further use.
Slice 6 hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks to a large plate. Smash yolks with a fork until very smooth and scrape into a medium bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the butter, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, tomatoes and jalapenos, blending thoroughly. Stuff into cavities of egg whites and smooth top with a butter knife to make an even covering of filling over the entire flat surface (there will be extra filling; reserve it.) On the same plate that yolks were smashed, coarsely chop and finely smash the remaining 2 hard-cooked eggs. Fold into the reserved excess filling, add vinegar and remaining butter and set mixture aside.
Place flat sides of stuffed eggs on top of the crispy garlic crumbs, coating well and leaving on a plate until all are coated (do not coat rounded sides.) Return the large skillet to medium heat and brush remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the pan bottom. When hot, place all eggs in the skillet, crumb side down, and fry until browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Cut ends from romaine leaves to make 5-inch long ‘boats.’ Spoon and spread the remaining filling mixture over bottom lengths of romaine boats and arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle with chives.