Made these today...delish!
Gorgonzola Custards with Pear Salad
from Antipasti by Joyce Goldstein
The custards are creamy and mildly salty, a perfect match for a small salad of peppery greens accented with toasted nuts and slivers of ripe pears.
For the Custards
Unsalted butter for molds, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half and half, heated
2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 pounds Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, or to taste
Salt
For the Vinaigrette
7 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt & freshly ground pepper
For the Salad
1/2 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 bunches watercress, tough stems removed, or 3 cups arugula
2 flavorful pears such as Anjour or Comice, unpeeled, halved, cored and thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally butter eight 3/4 cup custard cups or ramekins and place in a baking pan.
In a saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the flour, stir well, and cook, stirring, for a minute or so to cook away the raw taste of the flour. Slowly add the half and half while whisking constantly, and then cook, continuing to whisk, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the whole eggs and yolks. Then whisk in the cheese until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add salt, if needed (the cheese will add salt). If you like, transfer the mixture to a small pitcher for easy pouring.
Pour the custard into the prepared cups. Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the molds. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake the custards until a knife inserted into the center of a custard emerges clean, 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together all the oils and vinegars and then whisk in salt & pepper to taste. You will have about 3/4 cup. Ready the remaining salad ingredients at the same time.
When the custards are ready, carefully remove the cups from the water bath and let rest for 5 minutes.
While the custards are resting, in a small bowl, toss the nuts with about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, set aside.
Working with 1 custard at a time, run a knife blade around the inside of each mold to loosen the custard, then invert the custard onto a plate. When all the custards are unmolded, in a bowl, toss the watercress with all but about 1/4 cup of the remaining vinaigrette and divide among the plates. Top with the pear slices, again dividing evenly and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the nuts. Serve immediately.
Serves 8.
Note: You can bake these custards up to 1 day ahead of time, let cook, cover and refrigerate. To warm for serving, return the cups to the bain marie, and heat in a 350 degree oven until the custards are warm in the center (10-15 minutes).
Gorgonzola Custards with Pear Salad
from Antipasti by Joyce Goldstein
The custards are creamy and mildly salty, a perfect match for a small salad of peppery greens accented with toasted nuts and slivers of ripe pears.
For the Custards
Unsalted butter for molds, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half and half, heated
2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 pounds Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, or to taste
Salt
For the Vinaigrette
7 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt & freshly ground pepper
For the Salad
1/2 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 bunches watercress, tough stems removed, or 3 cups arugula
2 flavorful pears such as Anjour or Comice, unpeeled, halved, cored and thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally butter eight 3/4 cup custard cups or ramekins and place in a baking pan.
In a saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the flour, stir well, and cook, stirring, for a minute or so to cook away the raw taste of the flour. Slowly add the half and half while whisking constantly, and then cook, continuing to whisk, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the whole eggs and yolks. Then whisk in the cheese until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add salt, if needed (the cheese will add salt). If you like, transfer the mixture to a small pitcher for easy pouring.
Pour the custard into the prepared cups. Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the molds. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake the custards until a knife inserted into the center of a custard emerges clean, 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together all the oils and vinegars and then whisk in salt & pepper to taste. You will have about 3/4 cup. Ready the remaining salad ingredients at the same time.
When the custards are ready, carefully remove the cups from the water bath and let rest for 5 minutes.
While the custards are resting, in a small bowl, toss the nuts with about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, set aside.
Working with 1 custard at a time, run a knife blade around the inside of each mold to loosen the custard, then invert the custard onto a plate. When all the custards are unmolded, in a bowl, toss the watercress with all but about 1/4 cup of the remaining vinaigrette and divide among the plates. Top with the pear slices, again dividing evenly and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the nuts. Serve immediately.
Serves 8.
Note: You can bake these custards up to 1 day ahead of time, let cook, cover and refrigerate. To warm for serving, return the cups to the bain marie, and heat in a 350 degree oven until the custards are warm in the center (10-15 minutes).