Thursday, November 15, 2007

The Road to Thanksgiving: Diversion Number One


That's chocolate up there, not coffee. This is what happened:

My friend and neighbor Mirem suggested we do a swap on Thanksgiving. Twice the food, half the work, right? Plus, she's a couple days ahead of me in the planning department and already has some great ideas.

We're just swapping a couple of things: I'm bringing her a bowl of fennel salad, and a turkey, having volunteered to be the one to brave the crowds at the Food Coop for heirloom birds. In return, Mirem is making for us: a squash or sweet potato dish, plus little tiny pots de creme au chocolate, to be served with pumpkin spice cookies. (It might seem like this trade is skewed in my favor, and maybe it is, but I will say that the Food Coop is going to be an utter madhouse for the next 6 days.)

Shot glasses de creme for Thanksgiving! I love this idea. Little tiny glasses, not big gluttonous vats. I don't believe my children have ever had these, and I have a feeling it's going to be a memorable occasion. Between pumpkin pie and chocolate, I think I know which one we'll all go for first.

Here's the recipe Mirem uses. She swears it's absurdly easy:

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

1 egg
6 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon liqueur - rum, Cointreau, Grand Marnier -- or espresso
Alternate: 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream, scalded

Put chocolate in blender, add egg, blend. After a lot of noise and drama on the part of your blender, you will have a mixture of finely chopped chocolate and egg. Add the scalded cream in a slow stream, with the blender running. Add liqueur or vanilla. Pour into 8 demi-tasse cups or 12 shot glasses. Let set in fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Garnish with whipped cream, or a reference to the extra flavor (ie: candied orange peel if you used Cointreau, hazelnuts if you used Frangelico, etc.)

You can get creative, too: make it with Mexican chocolate, add ground almonds, black pepper, chili, cinnamon anything.

I am totally making this. Right now. Forget planning for Thanksgiving. I've got pots of cream to make.

4 comments:

naomi dagen bloom said...

everything about your turkey-day meal sounds wonderful. gives me hope that somewhere in younger-than-me-land, folks think creatively about sharing a meal with friends. and chocolate too!

Larissa said...

thank you Naomi!
What are you making?

naomi dagen bloom said...

we took a turkey, delicious that spouse made, used canola oil on outside for first time. i made old standby, cornbread with sesame seeds, wheat germ.

our son did green beans, cranberries; his wife a pie with canned organic pumpkin and organic crust. have to find that can!

no other starch--a first. really worked well with baby getting most of our attention, of course.

Unknown said...

Mirem is a wonderful cook- I have had the pleasure of sampling her many delicious recipes. The pot de creme sounds heavenly.