Weekend Recipe 3/29/09

So amid my schoolwork I still like to find time to cook. The quick recipes that I have provide nice little study breaks or a good way to relax after a long day at the library. This recipe for Popovers comes from How To Cook Everything, and is extremely easy. I've made it twice so far, the second batch turning out much better than the first. Let me just say... GREASE THE PAN!!! If you don't, you'll end up crushing the popovers as you attempt to pull them out of the muffin tin. Greasing it well allows you to simply run a butter knife around the sides to make sure they are loose and pop them right out, maintaining the desired air pocket. Beyond being extremely easy to make, the taste and texture are incredible. Think of the texture of a crispy eclair on the outside and a light bread pudding on the inside. The taste is clean enough, and the mix receptive enough, that you can make these savory or sweet. My last batch had cinnamon folded into it, which made it more of a breakfast companion. An idea that my housemate Kevin brought up that I'm very interested to try is this: Filling the air pockets. The possibilities are endless! They could be homemade cream puffs, or muffin shaped eclairs. But why stop there? Make a homemade headcheese of sorts (just use any cut of meat precooked and minced small, add veggies and spices to unflavored gelatin and chill into a loaf to yield something slicable), and allow it to set within the air pockets. It's like a "soup" sandwich (assuming the gelatin takes to the flavors of the meat, veggies, and spices, I imagine it would taste something like a solidified stock). Hmmmm, I may just have to see if this works for myself. The textures of the final product I'm sure would weird out a lot of people, but then again, it could be the next big thing. "Don't knock it 'til you try it" is my food philosophy (that's how I came to like sea urchin sushi). After a looooong digression here is the recipe:

Popovers
Makes: 12 popovers
Time: About 45 minutes

Popovers are best made at the last minute, but they're good left over as well. I think they go incredibly well with scrambled eggs, though the classic accompaniment is Prime Rib Roast (page 734).

1 tablespoon melted butter or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, plus some for the muffin tin
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar
.5 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

1) Heat the oven to 425*F. [N.B. from me - Get an oven thermometer if your oven does not have a digital read; my first batch cooked way too hot when I trusted the temperatures on the dial] Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or a popover tin and put it in the oven while you make the batter.
2) Beat together the eggs, milk, butter or oil, sugar, and salt. Beat in the flour a little bit at a time; the mixture should be smooth. Fill the muffin tins at least halfway (if your tin is large, this might make fewer than 12 popovers). Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350*F and continue baking for 15 minutes more, or until the popovers are puffed and browned (do not check the popovers until they have baked for a total of 30 minutes [N.B. from me - depending on the hotspots in your oven, or the fickleness of it, you'll be able to see if they are ready before 30 minutes]). Remove from the pan immediately and serve hot.

How to Cook Everything was copywrited in 2008 by Doubly B Publishing Inc., and published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in Hoboken, New Jersey. This representation of the text is intended for educational use only.