Best Banana (or Breadfruit) Waffles

Yes, you heard me right.  I have discovered that a ripe breadfruit can be used interchangeably with ripe mashed bananas.  So, for muffins, pancakes, waffles and even aebleskivers.  Those of you with access to breadfruit, who may not have used the really ripe ones before for anything other than Papaiaee, that South Pacific pudding, there are more options.  Actually, you could give me a few more ideas for them as well.

The fruit must be allowed to start turning brown and a bit crusty, just like bananas you're going to mash for a recipe.  The flesh even looks like ripe banana inside.  A client gave this one to Bob, and he brought it home for me to do something with.

Cut in half, then scoop out the soft fruit, away from the core and skin.  This was a medium to small ulu, and yielded about 2 cups.  Mash it up a bit.  The recipe is one I've had for years.  Used many times, tried, true and excellent.  Exactly as good this time around, with the breadfruit flavor just coming through.  For this South Pacific take, I used coconut oil in place of the butter,  palm sugar, soy milk and a little nutmeg. 

Breadfruit (or Banana) Waffles

1 cup flour
1/4 cup raw sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, separated (I rarely bother, but if you're using gluten free flours it might be a good idea)
1/3 cup melted butter (or coconut oil)
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup mashed breadfruit (or banana)

Mix the dry ingredients together on a piece of waxed paper and set aside.  Combine egg yolk, milk, bananas and butter or oil in a mixing bowl.  Stir in the dry ingredients.  Beat the egg white til stiff and fold into batter.  Bake in waffle iron at medium heat.  Sprinkle one side with macadamia nuts if desired before closing the lid.

We had ours with some passion fruit syrup.  Coconut syrup would be nice.  Or maple syrup.  Now, since I've only used 1 cup of that breadfruit, I'm on to try aebleskivers with it, which will make the 5th in my series if they turn out.  I'll let you know.  Sharing with Hearth 'N Soul Blog Hop, co-hosted by Alex of A Moderate Life.

Banana Coconut Fritters

The fritters that aren't frittered (fried).  This is my long delayed, but promised post on banana fritters from the aebleskiver pan.  Fourth in a series, utilizing that silly fantastic purchase.  The last one was mini Yorkshire Puddings.   These delicious Banana Coconut Fritters were derived from François-Xavier's recipe at  fxcuisine.

This pan really is amazingly versatile. Of course, it's not as sexy or pretty as the Indian one on FX's link, called an Unniappam pan, but still, reasonably priced and quite serviceable for Corn Dodgers, Mini Popovers, Yorkshire Puddings, even Aebleskivers, etc. etc.  I intend to continue adding to the list.

Yorkshire Mini Puddings

Yes folks, it is exactly what you think it is -  the now close to indispensable aebleskiver pan. This has become a series. Today used  for Mini Yorkshire Puddings.  And, if I do say so myself, we have found the perfect implement for that traditional standby of a British Sunday dinner.  A good source of information on which may be found here.

An Aebleskiver pan is heavy and holds heat well for making mini puds.  Also, an unniappan pan could be used, a very intriguing utensil indeed!  Check that link.

I have to say the prime rib, so-called, was a bit disappointing, however we all loved the little popover like, biscuit substitutes (if you're American), Yorkshire puddings (not anything like what I would consider a pudding), light, puffy, slightly crispy on the outside, soft middles, and wanted more of them.  I served this combination for New Year's dinner and will definitely be doing it lots more.  Hopefully with a better cut of meat.  Sorry Safeway, but what can I say?

First step (before your roast is done) is to whip up the very simple batter and chill for an hour at least.  They puff up better when a cold batter is poured into a sizzling hot pan. After removing your roast from the oven, let it rest on a carving board or plate, covered with foil.  Pour the meat drippings into a glass measuring cup.  Drop in some ice cubes if you like, and while the fat is separating, put your aebleskiver pan into the oven, heated up to 450F.  Now, remove the pan and pour some of the separated beef fat (a tablespoon or less) into each well.  Heat this fat to smoking on a top burner or in the oven.  Immediately fill them almost to the tops with cold batter and replace pan in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

I received the new Gourmet Today cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl, for Christmas, from my wonderful daughter.  Thank you Sunny!  The recipe is from that lovely, and gnormous tome.

Yorkshire Pudding Recipe  

Serves 8
1 1/2 cups all-purpose Flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces  –  or you can use the more traditional fat drippings from your  roast, which is what I did.

Combine flour, salt, eggs and milk in a blender and blend (or just use a wire whisk in a bowl), scraping down sides occasionally, until just smooth.  Really, why dirty up an extra appliance if it's not necessary?  You can do it in a glass measuring bowl, which fits better in the refrigerator as well.  Refrigerate batter, covered, for at least 30 minutes (til cold).

Heat the fat in your cooking pan until spitting hot. Can be one large tin square, rectangular, round or, of course, the aeblskiver pan. When the fat is smoking hot, pour in the batter almost to the tops. Cook at 450F, 230C or gas mark 8. Large tins for about 30 minutes, small aebleskiver or muffin tins, 15 – 20 minutes,

or until puddings are puffed and center is golden brown.

I cut the recipe in half (which I shouldn't have done) and it made 10 muffin sized puffs.  As  mentioned above, we could have easily eaten more.

Christmas and Corn Dodgers

Happy Christmas to one and all.  In Hawaii, a Norfolk Pine, topped or in a pot, serves nicely as a Christmas tree.  This one was interfering with the electric lines, and actually had two tops, so my daughter got one and we got the other.  The branches are widely spaced, which requires some filling in with ornaments and draping stuff  to look decent.

Did you ever watch True Grit and wonder what a Corn Dodger was?   Here is a bit of research, excerpted from America's Best Lost Recipes: 121 Kitchen-Tested Heirloom Recipes Too Good to Forget from the Editors of Cook's Country magazine (America's Test Kitchen, 2007). Copyright 2007 by the Editors of Cook's Country:

Abraham Lincoln was raised on these little oval cornmeal cakes, George Washington Carver took them to school, and John Wayne (playing Rooster Cogburn) used them for target practice in the movie True Grit.
Dating back to the 1800s, the first corn dodgers were made from "hot water corn bread," a mixture of cornmeal, pork fat, salt, and boiling water that was formed into small oblong loaves and baked. Similar recipes were given different names depending on how the dough was shaped and cooked. Corn pone have the same oblong shape as dodgers, but are pan-fried in lots of oil. Johnnycakes are flattened into small pancakes, then griddle-fried. Ashcakes are rounds of dough wrapped in cabbage leaves, then placed in the ashes of the campfire to cook. Hoecakes are formed into small pancakes, then placed on the flat side of a garden hoe (really!) and cooked over the campfire.

The original Corn Dodgers were, similar to hard tack, dense, gritty, and hard as a brick.  Which is why they were good for carrying in a saddlebag for days on end, or for pitching at a target as well.  Mine bear no resemblance to their 19th century forbears.  I just like the name.  They are light, moist, tender and as wonderful as the sweet, fresh shucked corn inside.  I wouldn't bother making them with anything else.  And, unless you're having a really rotten Christmas, you won't want to throw them at anything.

For the recipe I used Irma Ronbauer's Corn Oysters, from my old edition of Joy of Cooking.  An extremely simple, easy batter which works marvelously in that new appliance of mine, yes, the aebleskiver pan.

Corn Dodgers

Make batter immediately before using it.
Prepare 1 cup freshly scraped corn
add:
2 well-beaten eggs
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper, dash cayenne, or as Irma suggests, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter

Heat skillet or aebleskiver pan on medium low heat.  When hot add a marble sized piece of butter in each well, or a tablespoon at a time if you are using a skillet and making little cakes.  Swirl the pan a bit to coat, and when hot, sizzling and fragrant fill each well with batter.  Turn when lightly golden brown on the bottom, and brown the other side, turning again if necessary.

I served them as a side with some beef tenderloin, but they would be perfect with barbequed chicken, served  as starters, more party pupus, or for breakfast with a nice slice of ham, YES.

Party Pupus

This quaint cast iron pan, heavier than a truck-load of lead bricks (useful as a defensive weapon), is the latest addition to my growing arsenal of cooking implements.  I was determined however, that it would not be a single use item.  Today we are not featuring the standard product of the Aebleskiver pan, which are naturally, Aebleskivers.  A sort of Danish cross between popovers and pancakes.   We did the Aebleskiver breakfast thing Sunday.  And, they were fun and very tasty, though my expertise in turning and filling left something to be desired.

I have found another excellent use for this cute pan.  Now we can make Cocktail Bondas, or my own version of them anyway.  In Hawaii, as you may have heard, we call them Pupus.  Yes indeed, we do.  Visitors are always amazed we would eat such a thing, or call them that anyway.  Since this is definitely the Season for it, you should try these spicy party nibbles, or before meal starters.

Chickpea Fritters

Pupus, Appetizers, Bondas, or what have you.  This amount makes about 8 of them, so you can increase the ingredients to suit.

3/4 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup water or less (just enough to make a thickish pancake consistency)
1 egg, separated
1 tablespoon curry leaves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash hot chili sauce, or a small minced chili pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons shallot or green onion, minced finely
ghee, olive oil or your own favorite lubricant (going with the Indian inspiration, I used ghee)

Yogurt dipping sauce
1/2 cup yogurt
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt to taste

Heat the pan on medium low heat.

Finely mince the onion and curry leaves.  Mix the egg yolk with water and add chickpea flour.  Add remaining ingredients.  Whip egg white to soft peaks and fold in well.

Put a raisin sized piece of ghee into each well and heat til bubbling hot.  Fill almost to the top of each with the batter.  When they're getting a bit crispy on the edges and bubbling in the middle, carefully turn with a chopstick and cook till nicely golden brown on all sides. The tendancy will be to have them cook faster, but the heat really needs to be lower than you would think.  Be patient.   Serve with the dipping sauce, which can be mixed up very quickly while the fritters are cooking.

Much nicer with an aperitif than opening a bag of chips.  You could vary the herbs and seasonings endlessly, according to what is on hand.  If you make them early, they can be re-heated, wrapped in foil.