Popovers - a new love

As dorky as it sounds to be "in love" with a baked good, ever since making popovers to go with our Christmas Prime Rib, I can't get those damn things out of my head.

This morning as I sipped on my morning tea, my stomach started rumbling,  It suddenly occurred to me that I had dreamed about popovers ALL NIGHT.  The main "message"  was that I had forgotten to add the egg.  Sort of retarded if you ask me considering they only have 4 ingredients:  Flour, Salt, Milk and  Egg(sorry about the political incorrectness of my self-deprication...).   My "dream" creations didn't "pop" over, nor did they puff or any of those wondrous things that happen right before our eyes through the oven door at 450 degrees.

Needless to say, I had to set things right.  Here's a very simple recipe that can be divided in half for smaller batches.    I usually do 1/2 recipe for 6.  Yes, I can eat them all in one sitting, which isn't that bad considering there isn't a lot of fat added... At what point have I ever cared about that?  Um, never, as my cell walls need an "oil change" occasionally.  If you use organic butter, it is the best, as all those pesky pesticides and other annoying fat soluble toxins aren't present, just pure deliciousness.  However, if you have some chicken fat, or beef fat (from aforementioned prime rib roasting) use that, as it will only add flavor.  Of course, using non-vegetarian fat means you probably want to eat these suckers with something savory (i.e. Prime Rib), which would then be pretty much "Yorkshire pudding" (yes, it is the same exact recipe, just cooks a little longer because of surface area etc)...

Makes 12 popovers:

6 tsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2/3 - 3/4 tsp salt

Whisk or blend milk and eggs together until frothy.  Sift together flour and salt.  Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture, avoiding the tendency to overmix.  The batter will be thin like pancake batter.  Put into refrigerator for 20 minutes or until ready to use.

Heat oven to 450 F.  Add 1/2 tsp fat/butter to bottom of muffin tins.  (if you don't have non-stick muffin tins, you may want to coat them with some non-stick spray). 

Put tins in hot oven until butter melts to just about smoking point.  Remove from oven and immediately fill 1/3 way full with batter (after giving it a quick whisk).  Place back into oven quickly (you don't want the tins to cool).  Bake about 10-11 minutes until the popovers have puffed all the way up and turn golden brown.  Don't open the oven door to check, it will interrupt the rising and they won't turn out as good. 

Enjoy warm with jam or just by themselves. Because they look kind of like puff pastry, I am tempted to try some savory toppings, with the popovers tipped on their sides, and beef stew or pot roast spilling out the middle.  That's for another post.  Enjoy!