Walnut Pudding

The weather has turned rainy and cold up here. Thank goodness I managed to make the most of the last sunny days. 

If you haven't been to Kejimkujik National Park, I recommend it.

 It's really a great place for the soul to start hunkering down and getting warm for the winter.

Walnut pudding is good for that too.

Pudding often gets a miss these days, since I think most people only get it in plastic cups in packs of twelve for school lunches. I love it, though. It can be warm or cold, thick or thin, savory or sweet. 

In this case, I wanted a Fall dessert for right after Thanksgiving. I'm mostly combining a whole bunch of Joy the Baker's many pudding recipes, the main one of which is this one. No cornstarch here, though, because I forgot to get some.

Here's what you need: whole milk, an egg, honey, salt, vanilla, and walnut butter.

Farms making cameos here include:

Jordan's Natural Acres (eggs)

Foxhill Cheesehouse (milk)

Limerock Orchards (walnut butter)

Brandt's Bees (honey)

Amounts are as follows:

2 cups milk

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup nut butter

1 egg

 If, as in my case, you don't have quite enough walnut butter (you need about half a cup), you can always put some walnuts in the blender with a little of the milk and blitz until smooth.

Throw all the ingredients into your one big pot and whisk like your life/autumnal happiness depends on it. When the mixture is smooth, switch to a wooden spoon or spatula, whatever will get into all the corners. 

Taste occasionally. I added more honey. 

When the mixture is glossy and your chosen stirring implement starts to leave a trail behind it, you can call it quits and stop stirring. The pudding may still look runny, but will thicken as it cools. 

This is so good with nutmeg on top. I like mine warm, but it's good chilled as well.

 Here's to mist, rain, sleet, and spiderwebs. 

Chicken Sofrito

For Canadians, Thanksgiving has come and gone. Since I happen to possess both United States and Canadian citizenship, I'll be celebrating both in my own small way. 

Thanksgiving in my mind has gone through many different evolutions: it has been a day for remembering Christopher Columbus sailing across the ocean blue, for reviling the same man for his brutality and narcissism, for enjoying food and stuffing myself to bursting, for celebrating family, and finally, for being grateful. 

I have learned to be thankful every day for something. Today, it's warm Fall days and unraked lawns and this gorgeous cookbook, Jerusalem, from my mother. 

From this book, I made Chicken Sofrito, which is a cooking method that I love for its low maintenance and versatility. 

First, the chicken:

Featuring all the mess from last night, plus this morning's coffee. This chicken is from Jordan's Natural Acres, from whom I regularly purchase excellent eggs. Those will be coming up in the next post. 

Put the chicken breasts-down in hot oil, and sear until brown for three minutes. Flip the chicken and sear the other side for another three minutes. While this is happening (or before), make the seasoning!

This is paprika, turmeric, salt, sugar, and pepper. 

To these, add lemon juice and mix to a paste.

MIX!

It should end up like this.

Put this all over the seared chicken on both sides

Somehow, while you were doing all this, you also chopped a red onion and a bulb of fennel! 

This goes in around the chicken that you've seasoned, and now the heat goes to medium-low.

After one and a half hours of slow cookery, it should be falling off the bone.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Dessert to follow soon.