Pavlova

If Junior MasterChefs can do it…

One of the TV-stations here is broadcasting the 2011 edition of Junior MasterChef. These kids continue to amaze me. They seem to have a natural feeling for good food and also a talent for cutting up onions really fast! Recently, I saw the show where they had to make Pavlova. Looked quite appealing! Now if these 12-year-olds, brilliant but still kids, can do it… then I should be able to make a Pavlova right?

To make sure I would have all the time I needed, I tried out this recipe one quiet Sunday afternoon. I decided to go for Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova. The main reason for this being that the recipe calls for chocolate, which I feel is essential for any Sunday dessert. Since I’m using halve the quantities of the original recipe, I’m reducing the cooking time to forty-five minutes.

Making the basic mixture is surprisingly easy if you own a decent kitchen machine, like the KitchenAid that both Trish and I often use. Set it to speed 8, and when the egg whites are stiffening add the caster sugar one spoon at a time. And be sure not to drop the spoon in your mixer… A simple handmixer will also do the trick, but it's not as much fun as the raw power of the stand mixer. Either way, you should end up with a fluffy mixture, kinda like a melted marshmallow but cold. It's done when you can hold the bowl upside-down above your head. Better get it right the first time! Then shove it in the oven and wait, wait, wait. After 15 minutes, I’m starting to get a bit worried about caramelization, the pavlova is already cracking and I do smell some unidentified sweetness. The oven I have is one of the worst possible and it might just not cool down to 150c quick enough. But the golden rule of making pavlova is to never ever open the oven while baking it. So more waiting, waiting, waiting.

Then, at the 45 minute mark… switching off the oven. I’ve decided to let the pavlova cool for at least an hour. The lump in the oven looks crisp enough but I wouldn’t dare opening that oven door prematurely. One hour later, the moment of truth is there. Felt the top of the oven to make sure it’s cooled off completely and it is. Opening the door, I see a beautiful meringue sitting in the middle. It’s crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. But did I get it right? To be honest… I’ve never made pavlova so I haven’t got a clue! I feel that it’s not gained enough volume but I don’t why and what to do about it.

Put the proof of the pavlova is in the eating. Add the cream, sprinkle with chocolate and generously toss with raspberries. The pavlova has difficulty supporting the weight of the cream and fruit, so next time I will have to find a way to get a more firm example. Maybe I should have a bigger pile of the mixture, rather than smearing it out. That would probably give it more volume, although at the same time increasing the risk of an imploding pavlova. But for a first time, I’m content! Just one or two more practice bakes and I’ll steal the show at our family dinner this Christmas!

Eggplant and I

Uova al piatto con melanzane

We have a complicated relationship, eggplant and I. Since I was a very picky kid, my mom never dared to serve it to me. The rubbery texture of the eggplant does not at all seem appealing to me. Cut an eggplant and you’re not sure what that smell is and whether or not you should like it. But in seminary I had my first go at ratatouille, which I found surprisingly delicious. A fellow seminarian complained to me, saying that eggplant was “one of the most disgusting things on God’s green earth.” I argued to the contrary but I could see where he was coming from.

Occasionaly, eggplant still disgusts me. I recently tried pan-cooked eggplant (melanzane della nonna) and after the first bite I felt an urge I don’t usually feel with food I’ve prepared myself. But now, I’ve figured out how I like my eggplants: I want them fried long enough to kill the texture and smothered in something else so they don’t taste too much like eggplant. Ratatouille is an excellent example, the tomatoes give the whole thing a generic healthy flavour and you don’t really notice there’s eggplant in it.

One other recipe that helps me appreciate eggplant is “eggs with aubergines” (p. 431 of The Silver Spoon). And it’s super easy to make too! What’s there not to like then? Take one small eggplant p.p. and two eggs for one or two, then one egg extra for every other happy eater. Step one is to slice the eggplant in thin but still firm slices, salt the slices and leave them to sit in a colander for thirty minutes. The salting extracts water from the plant and along with it some of the bitterness. Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f. Dip the slices of eggplant in flour and fry them in hot olive oil. Be sure to bake them really hot so they get brown and a bit crisp. Drain on kitchen paper, season with pepper and salt. Then dot some tomato puree or passata on top of the slices. Arrange them in a greased ovenproof dish, break the eggs on top and bake for some 25 minutes. The whites will have set and the eggplant now pleasantly tastes like omelette with tomatoes!

Quick trick

Prosciutto and pineapple

Know how everyone always gets excited about melon and prosciutto? It's one of the better kept secrets of Italian cuisine that prosciutto also is a good match with pineapple! This appetizer is about the quality of the ham, the sweet fruit is just there to complement it. Trust me, I've tried and it's gooooood.