Poker Perambulation

Mom was a great cook but all American in concept. I ate out a lot and got to liking things a bit different from her style. Julia Child hit the airways about that time and I still have her cookbook from that original series. One of the recipies was for a ramequin. It has been a staple in my cooking ever since.

A ramequin – with the addition of flour – is a hearty version of the souffle. It make a great lunch with a salad and some french bread – don’t forget a nice rose or white wine. Over the years, it has become a go to recipe. The original was for “Ramequin Forestiere” and the filling was:

• 1 cup Mushrooms

• bit of butter

• 1 Tb shallots or scallions

• 1 Tb of flour

• 4 Tb heavy cream

• Salt and pepper

Over the years, I’ve made it on occasion but the recipe lends itself to endless variation.

The basic mixture is:

• ½ cup of flour (Julia suggest Wondra but I seldom have it.)

• 3-4 Tb Butter (She just throws it together due to using Wandra I blend the butter and flour into a rue.)

• 2 cups milk (or ½ and ½ if your feeling decadent)

• ½ Tsp salt and pepper to taste

• 4 eggs

• 1 1/3^rd cup of Swiss cheese (I used a variety of cheeses)

Cooking time is about 25 minutes at 400F

You mix your filling with the basic mixture and put in a greased ramequin ( lg. Souffle) dish or an adequately sized baking dish with fairly straight sides.

Today, I made it with a jar of marinated artichoke hearts and a mix of Romano and Parmesan.  I also sprinkled the top with the cheese mixture to add a bit of crust. Tasty! I like asparagus ones with a variety of cheeses. Any filling that adds some authority is great. Bacon, cheddar and onion is quite tasty.

Living alone has really impacted my cooking. But, Sundays are where I try to actually cook instead of warming or nuking.

It makes a great brunch item. Not that far from a quiche and great with items that support a quiche. If you’ve a favorite quiche filling, try that in a ramequin. It is easy to make/design with a variety of great tastes.

No related posts.