Pudding River

Last night Kevin and I went to a dinner party where we did not really know anyone. I knew one of hostesses, but otherwise it was all very new to us. I wanted to bring a dessert, and I guessed correctly that other people would probably be bringing pie-like things. I decided to make tapioca pudding. I had never made real pudding before, let alone the tapioca variety. But it was a cold and windy night and pudding sounded cozy.

It was fun to make and everyone loved it, unless they were just being polite 'cause we were strangers.

Anyway, I changed the recipe I was following it quite a bit. Here is my version.

Hot Toddy Tapioca Pudding

3/4 cup small tapioca pearls (not instant)
5 cups whole milk
1 cup cream
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
1/4 cup brandy
zest of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Put tapioca and cream in heavy bottomed pot. I used a dutch oven. Bring up heat until the milk starts steaming a bit, and then cut the heat and cover the pot. Let sit for an hour as a quick soak. After an hour, turn the stove back on at medium heat and whisk in the yolks, salt, sugar, cinnamon and milk.Split the vanilla pod along the seam and scrape the beans into the pot. You can throw the whole pod while the pudding cooks for extra flavor. Slowly bring up to a boil, stirring constantly. This should take about 15 minutes. You do not want to scorch the milk, so take your time. The moment it reaches a boil, lower the heat down to a simmer. At this point add the brandy and the lemon zest. Continue stirring and let simmer for 20 minutes or until tapioca pearls are nearly translucent and the custard has thickened.The pudding thickens more and more as it cools.

Serves 10-12 easily. Recipe can be halved.

Cold Hands, Warm Heart

Fish Herders Stew

My family is full of cooks and their remarkable recipes. My grandmother Oma had an eggnog recipe that I have experimented with but plan on perfecting this winter. My mother has guided me in making her eggplant parmesan and butter cookie recipes. My dad is a lot like me in that he has no recipes, just strong instincts and a love for meat.

My grandmother Mamie, who I speak of often on this blog, holds a few of my most favorite recipes. There are three things that she most often serves when I go to her house: lobster (I am very, very spoiled), country supper (more on this later), and fish herders stew. You'll have to pardon the absurd name- that's my father's doing. It is dish sort of similar to shepherds pie, but also totally different.
The photo, again, does not do it justice. Just trust me and make it right now.

Fish Herders Stew
Recipe from Julie Cook (Mamie)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 1/2 pounds cod, halibut, talapia or other white fish
1 cup dry vermouth
2 cups water
4 cups mashed potatoes (make them creamy delightful, packed with butter)
2 small leeks
a shit load of sharp, white cheddar, shredded (her instructions- I used a whole block)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 stick of butter

Melt butter in dutch oven. Put fish in and cover with water and vermouth. Gently cook fish and remove from liquid with slotted spoon. Bring liquid to a boil and whisk in flour quickly. Add cheddar, whisking the whole time. This should create a thick, cheese sauce. In a separate pan, saute leeks briefly. It's nice for them to have some nice crunch because the rest of the dish is very soft. Pour the leeks over the fish. Top with mashed potatoes and pop in the oven for 15 minutes or so, until the top is lightly browned (you'll notice mine got black spots rather than an even tan, so please try to do it better than I did. This might be due to the fact that our potatoes were more heavy cream than potato.)

Serves 6, with leftovers too!

Dinner- What It Is

Last night we roasted some sunchokes and yams and then whirled them around in the cuisinart until they were silky and light. We also roasted shrimp with broccoli, a recipe I have been admiring on the Wednesday Chef for months and months and finally did it.
Sometimes I think photos of food are kind of unappetizing. The photo of the final plate really doesn't do this dinner justice. But it was really, really good, and I recommend making the yam puree for Thanksgiving, Y'all. It has warm wintery spice, and the sunchokes add a wonderfully sweet and earthy note to the dish.

Sunchoke and Yam Puree

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2 Yams, diced
6 small sunchokes, peeled and diced
2 cippolini onions, diced
1 teaspoon of cinnnamon
2 tablespoons brandy
glug of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon agave
1 tablespoon brown sugar
s+p to taste

Toss diced yams, onions and sunchokes with olive oil and spices. Roast for twenty minutes, and then pour brandy over the vegetables. Roast for twenty to thirty more minutes, until fork tender. Remove pan from oven and put vegetables into cuisinart bowl. Add butter, cream, agave and sugar. Blend until light and fluffy. Serves 4-6.

Busy Day Cake

This is before I dropped it and found out it was raw in the middle. But don't worry, I just put it back in the oven in smashed pieces and let it cook a little more. Then I served it with plain whole milk yogurt and it was just delightful. From failure to dessert! No problem.

Busy Day Cake
adapted from Edna Lewis, via Orangette, tinkered with by me.

1 stick of butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or almond extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of cardamom
1/2 cup cream

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, and then add the eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Alternately add flour mix and cream to the sugar and butter mix. Don't over mix. Spoon batter into a 9 inch springform pan. Bake for 35 minutes or so.
I served it, broken, with Nancy's whole milk honey yogurt and that was my favorite part. This cake is easy and you probably have the ingredients at your house to make it right now. Go do it!

Put That Away Jacky

Oh Hey, Oregon

You are fucking beautiful.