NYC was the best foodtinerary I've had so far, excluding America: The Trip (too long to replicate), and my stomach's been growling to relive the experience since then. I've been hearing about Japan these days again which made me miss real ramen, the biggest build up of anticipation other than Turducken. Never been to Japan myself, but I had to hear tales of deliciousness for months, reading all about memories the best ramen houses, the ramen Nazi, ramen on tv and especially about how thoughts and prayers of eating real ramen in Ottawa would never be answered.. then one day I ate Sapporo Special Ramen in NYC and understood how one bowl could make me a believer, an explorer, a chaser of the best tummy fillers for life!
When I asked CC Fried Unicorn Horn Pockets about his recent trip to NYC he mentioned the best thing about eating at BLT Prime (other than the forbidden steak?) were the popovers. A quick link up to the online recipe was provided, and I wanted them then. I could imagine tearing one apart, spackling it with Mama's peach marmalade and eating it Dr. Evil getting the handcuffs's keys from Frau-style. How would it taste, how could they pop right out of their pan hole with that cheesy crusted rug top, and how could I convince my stomach to agree with all the forbidden ingredients?
I thought about the popovers I couldn't have until the day the doctor told me those Lactose aide pills really do work. As he confirmed, I'm lactose intolerant and sensitive to bad foods that are hard to digest. ("just avoid them") That's it? Ok then! I'm making popovers!
I prepped for days, reading about the perfect method not to ruin a popover recipe, apparently there's a real precise science to it.I'd never eaten popovers myself and didn't know what to expect, but if a food link is sent from a reliable source, it must be tried. I was determined to conquer those lil alien cheesy bread puffs. I even dreamed about successfully battling it out with the Gruyere pops before having a go at them. "You really do only think about food don't you?" Evidently. Later at the Asian grocers I bumped into sesame balls, which I hadn't personally seen since Dim Sum Go Go in NYC, yet another reason to miss my favorite destination city.
And more surprisingly, a hollow middle?
Not so! Look at the cross section show!
And for the main event... BLT's popovers... take 1..4 cups warmed milk *not skim
8 large eggs
4 cups flour *unbleached all purpose
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cup grated gruyere cheese *pre-divided into 2 1/2 tbsp clumps if you really like to be prepared..
Put popover pan on a baking sheet at 350F.
Carefully warm milk over low heat.
Whisk eggs until frothy and arm hurty, then slooowly whisk in milk.
Though I've heard you shouldn't toss the flour around much according to popover science, sift the flour with the salt.
Slowly combine wet and dry until mostly combined.
Remove pan and quickly butter the pan. Batter should still be warmish at this point, fill popover cup to 3/4 and top with 2 1/2 tbsp Gruyere.
Here's where it gets tricky, according to the tips and tricks of the trade, don't open the oven for 30 mins, then do, pass out from the overpowering smell of baking gruyere, recover and rotate the pan half a turn. Another tip said to bake at 450F for the first 10 minutes, then lower to 350F to ensure maximum popping.
The popovers are ready when the sides of them are cooked enough to hold their weight, or else they'll implode as soon as you take them out of the oven. A still tasty, but disappointing ending to meticulously prepared fare. If you've gotten this far, here's what you can expect.
Maybe I'm not giving enough pointers here as to when you'll know they will be ready, two recipe takes later and I haven't mastered it either. It sure is fun to retry, but oh, my thighs! I can't get tired of these.
The second time I made a half batch for a friend, gave one to the roommate and kept two for myself, one of which I crushed (inhaled) immediately, the other which rested on top of the oven ready to be reheated and eaten for breakfast the next morning.. Needless to say, I woke up to no breakfast popover on the oven. Probably best for my arteries in the end, but I would never turn down a popover, even if it was collapsed and reheated! (pop in oven until it reaches 350F)
I thought it was flattering that someone in the house couldn't pass by it without caving in to the smelly fluffy crusty temptation, that is until that night when I tried to decipher which one did it. I said to a full house:
"Hey, uhm.. how was that last popover?"
the one who had already had one: "did you leave it for me?"
"no."
"Good! It was Really good! After eating everything I could get my hands on in the fridge and cupboards, I couldn't resist but regretted taking it when I realized I was too full to eat it all so I gave half to the dog." (It's a Chihuahua.)
Comedic shizzle like this just writes itself 'round here.
** This friend batch here caved in, I think I mixed the batter too well, the pan wasn't hot enough, or something. Was the taste ok despite that?
1 comment:
CC Unicorn Horn Pockets says, "They were so damned delicious."
From a presentation standpoint, your pics of the fully inflated ones look just like the ones at BLT Steak. But the taste... The ones I ate were easily a match.
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