I generally don't keep much in the way of desserts in the house. And when I cook, I far prefer preparing the savory over the sweet. But tonight I wanted dessert...badly.
My cupboard at the end of the week could easily belong to old Mother Hubbard. We're talking bare. I am down to just a few absolute essentials to tide me over until I get to the market tomorrow. So, how was I possibly going to satisfy this dessert craving without going out. (I am DONE for the day and I am NOT going anywhere!)I didn't have the right raw materials to bake. As far as fruit goes, there was only a scant handful of grapes. There was no yogurt, no chocolate, and not enough butter to make caramel.
BUT! But, there's almost always some sugar hanging around in the pantry. We never finished the eggs this week. And didn't I do a port wine reduction sauce a couple of weeks ago?? There's some port left over...hey...I think this will work...yes, it will...ITALIAN WINE CUSTARD!!!
Ah, yes...Zabaglione. When I worked at Buca, I loathed making this custard. Keep in mind I had to do an industrial-sized batch to feed up to 250 people in a night. In the restaurant recipe I think we measured the egg yolks by the POUND, not by the ounce. It was a never-ending task of separating eggs. When you make zabaglione or Italian wine custard at home, you will rarely ever have to separate more than a dozen eggs. No problemo. And tonight, I made just a very little bit of custard for the two of us and I only used 3 eggs.
Zabaglione can be divine. After all, it is a custard and custard is the base for the much-loved dessert institution: ice cream. But rather than using milk or cream as the liquid medium, zabaglione uses wine, often marsala (but you can really use any sweet wine). The effect is rich without being creamy or feeling heavy. I love it served with fresh fruit.
The port wine zabaglione was quite nice. I seasoned it with a little bit of cinnamon and served it over those last remaining grapes in the icebox. Hit the spot! Thank God for the egg...so adaptable!
PORT WINE ZABAGLIONE for 2
3 egg yolks
1/8 cup sugar
1/3 cup port wine
pinch of cinnamon
Start a saucepan of boiling water (you will be using this as a double-boiler) In another saucepan, or the top of your double boiler, combine the port, sugar, and cinnamon, and just bring to a boil on another burner. When it starts to boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Temper your egg yolks with a spoonful or two of the still-warm port wine mixture. Then put this back into the port wine mixture sauce pan and put over the double boiler. Whisk vigorously and constantly. The mixture will begin to froth, then look thicker. When it begins to thicken, continue to whisk for 1-2 more minutes, then remove from the double boiler, spoon into a holding container and chill. When it has cooled, serve over fresh fruit.
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I'm right there you recalling the minutes spent whisking over a double boiler in the cramped, hot, New York City restaurant kitchen of Alison on Dominick Street. Every night before service, it was my most dreaded of the prep. I could feel the drops sweat trickling down my back and chest underneath my chef's coat, agh. Other's working like bees around you, compounding the heat. After though, the satisfaction felt looking at my fluffy, pale yellow custard of the God's. lol It was here that i fell in love with the wooden handled whisk. If anyone so much as looked at that whisk, they had to deal with me! (not that i'm much of a force to reckon wlth). lol Thanks for the sweet memories, Karen
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