Greetings from Lisbon! Time is flying by here – I can’t believe it’s been two weeks already.

The weather has been beautiful here, sunny and gentle every single day. Generally it’s been warm, in the 60s, but the past two days it’s gotten really cold. Of course, not as cold as Boston, where we unfortunately had a pipe burst only a few days after leaving (and we left the heat on). But as I write this I’m huddled around the little electric heater in our Air BnB, which is doing double time by also drying our laundry.

Breakfast here is typically a pastry and an espresso while standing at the counter of a pastelaria. It’s delicious, but with the cold this week, I could definitely do with something heartier. I made this whole grain porridge just before leaving, and it got me through that first week of January cold and snow. I used a mix of quinoa, farro, oats, and semolina to prepare it, and then topped it with apples stewed with maple syrup and fresh cranberries. It was delicious.

Trevor objected to my use of the word porridge (“what are you, Goldilocks?”), but I can firmly state that this porridge is just right. [Edit from Trevor: “it’s a stupid word, it’s a stupid food.”] It’s also much better than oatmeal. While oatmeal is convenient and easy, it can get thick and gloppy, especially if rushed. This porridge was much creamier and more varied in texture. Not to mention it was healthier with four different grains. I made a big batch, portioned it out into five tupperwares, and was ready for the week.

If you’re somewhere cold, too, I hope you’re staying warm!

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Whole Grain Porridge with Poached Apples and Cranberries

A comforting, creamy whole grain porridge perfect for chilly winter mornings. Topped with stewed apples and cranberries and lightly sweetened with maple syrup.

• Author: Katie at the Kitchen Door
• Yield: 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup stone cut oats
• 1/2 cup farro
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup farina (Cream of Wheat)
• 4 apples, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 cup of fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider
• 3 TBS maple syrup
• fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the quinoa, oats, farro, water, and 2 cups of the milk in a large non-stick saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat, stirring frequently. Add the cinnamon stick and salt and simmer until all of the grains are tender, about 30 minutes. Add some of the additional milk as needed to keep the porridge loose and creamy. When the grains are cooked, add the farina and the remaining milk (1 cup or whatever you have left from the original 3 cups) and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the porridge has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat.
2. Prepare the apples while the porridge is cooking. Add the apple wedges, cranberries, apple cider, and maple syrup to a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender and the cranberries have softened and slumped, about 10 minutes. Simmer for another 5 minutes to reduce the sauce to a syrup, then remove from the heat.
3. Serve the porridge warm, with additional milk if desired. Top with a few spoonfuls of the apple-cranberry mixture and fresh pomegranate seeds.

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Since here in Boston we’re kicking off the week with another snowstorm, I thought now might be a good time to share this warming, filling, buckwheat porridge – just the sort of thing you need on Monday morning before trekking out into the snow. Buckwheat is becoming a bit of a health darling, and I can totally see why. Of the gluten-free grains/seeds available, it’s one of my favorites – it cooks up soft, nutty, and slightly sweet, almost like a tiny pasta. I actually ate buckwheat for the first time in Russia, where it’s commonly served as a side dish with lunch or dinner. Never having seen or eaten it in the States, it took me quite a while to figure out what it was called in English. I enjoyed it so much that I brought home a few bags with me – not realizing it’s easily purchased here, as well.

Cooked with a bit of milk and cinnamon, buckwheat turns into a lovely breakfast porridge, softer than other grains and less sticky than oatmeal. When I first made this porridge, I had asked Trevor to pick up “some berries,” and he brought home four boxes of gorgeous blackberries, raspberries, and currants – hard enough to find in the summertime, the tiny, jewel-like currants were like a small miracle in the middle of winter. Feeling a bit Nordic because of the snow and the currants and the buckwheat, and because, let’s face it, Nordic is trendy these days, I topped the porridge with the berries, a dollop of Skyr, and a drizzle of honey for the loveliest winter breakfast.

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Buckwheat Porridge

Serves 1.

• 1/2 c. buckwheat groats
• 1/2 c. water
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 1 c. mixed berries
• spoonful Skyr or Greek yogurt, for topping (optional)
• honey, for topping (optional)

1. Add the buckwheat and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then add the milk. Cook at a low simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed and the buckwheat is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon and maple syrup. Pour into a bowl and top with the berries, Skyr, and a drizzle of honey. Serve immediately.

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I’ve said it before: the best part of cold weather is warm drinks when you finally get inside. With or without booze (although personally I tend to choose with), they are comforting and festive and a great excuse for sitting around the fire with friends and family. Over the past two years I’ve built up a small repertoire of festive winter cocktails, many inspired by this lovely book, so as we gear up for the holidays and you all are looking for creative drinks to welcome your guests with, I’ve rounded my favorites up in one place. Cheers!

Hot and Mulled

Burnt Sugar Hot Buttered Rum

Hot buttered rum is an old-fashioned drink, but it’s just as delicious today as it was 200 years ago. This version uses a dark caramel as the base for the drink, giving it a deep, caramely sweetness.

Meyer Lemon and Sage Hot Toddy

A mixture of honey, lemon, and rum or whiskey, hot toddies are great when you’re feeling under the weather – the honey and lemon soothes a sore throat while the warm alcohol helps put you to sleep (although if you’re actually sick and not just feeling low, I’d skip the booze and just stick with the honey and lemon). This version uses a sage-infused honey syrup and bright meyer lemons for a twist on the classic.

Sbiten

Sbiten is a Russian mulled cocktail that’s based on a mixture of jam, honey, and winter spices. Although I never actually had one of these while I was in Russia, the thick and sweet drink is just as appropriate during cold New England weather.

Mulled Pear Sangria

Sangria doesn’t have to be saved for spring evenings and summer BBQs – if you serve it warm, it’s equally appropriate in winter. With a pear and cinnamon syrup and a hit of maple liqueur, this drink is full of fall flavors and a great use for white wine on days when a chilled glass of Chardonnay doesn’t sound that appealing.

Ecuadorian Canelazo

Canelazo is a traditional Ecuadorian drink made from naranjilla, a sweet-sour fruit similar to citrus, aguardiente, a sugar-cane based liquor, and cinnamon syrup. It was one of my favorite culinary discoveries in Ecuador, so I came up with this version to have at home.

Warm and Creamy

Nutella Melt

It’s hard to go wrong with nutella, and this nutella-laden and frangelico-spiked version of hot chocolate is no exception. Serve it without the frangelico for an equally appealing kids’ drink.

Chocolate Orange Tom & Jerry

Another old-timey drink, a Tom & Jerry is similar to eggnog in that it’s made from whole eggs and cream, but it’s served warm. In the US it’s most popular in Wisconsin and Minnesota, but I promise this chocolate and orange version will go down well in the rest of the country (and world!), too.

1,001 Kentucky Nights

This drink is decidedly not a classic. Combining coconut milk, dates, cinnamon, bourbon, and rum, it’s a drink with its roots in the Middle East but a profoundly American accent. Sweet and rich but with smoky, woodsy flavors from the bourbon, it’s a great study in contrast.

Salted Caramel Chai Latte

This chai latte sweetened with salted caramel wasn’t designed as a cocktail, but turning it into an Irish coffee with a shot of Bailey’s or whiskey sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

Cold and Bubbly

Cranberry-Ginger Sparkling Rum Cider

Cranberry-ginger syrup, sparkling cider, and dark rum make a pretty addition to any holiday table. As a side note, this drink and the accompanying sweet potato souffle recipe won Captain Morgan’s Thanksgiving challenge last year – it was judged by Hugh Acheson, so you have someone’s word other than mine to go by when I say these are delicious.

Pomegranate Mimosas

These pomegranate mimosas are a standard part of my family’s Christmas brunch, which is slowly replacing opening presents as my favorite part of Christmas. Just looking at them reminds me of bright Christmas mornings spent eating cranberry and vanilla coffee cake and gruyere-baked eggs.

Raspberry Sherbet Champagne Floats

Although these floats could arguably be served at any time of year, I think they’re just right for New Year’s Eve. Festive and pink, they’re a fun way to celebrate a special evening.

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Apologies for the radio silence around here the last few weeks! It’s been a busy month, and I seem to have inadvertently taken a 2-week break from blogging. This week in particular was a whirlwind – we spent last weekend away on our first official food-writing assignment (I can’t wait to share details with you this winter!), and then we dove head first into a long, rainy week piled with work-work, school-work, and freelance-work. I’m getting on a flight to Ireland today, too, so I’m still a bit in heads-down mode, but with a clear break in sight. Trevor and I did manage to spend some solid time in the kitchen yesterday, so we have several exciting recipes to share over the next few weeks (lots of pumpkin and caramel and cheese) to prevent another accidental hiatus.

I’ve been taking an economics course after work this semester, and I’ve learned that sitting through a two hour lecture after a full day of work is a lot harder than sitting through a two hour lecture when it’s the only thing you have to do that day (college students, take note!). Since I can’t drink coffee after 2pm if I want to have a shot at a good night’s sleep, I’ve taken to picking up a chai latte and a few chocolate-covered graham crackers as an incentive for sitting through class. It’s been a while since I drank chai regularly, and I forgot how much I love it’s spicy sweetness. Although a regular chai is a treat in itself, I decided that mixing in a healthy dose of salted caramel and topping it off with whipped cream and, yep, more caramel, would make it a real indulgence, worthy of sharing here. I took the approach of making a light syrup from brewed black tea, fresh ginger, whole spices, and salted caramel, then mixing that syrup with steamed milk. The benefit of this method is that you can store any leftover chai syrup in the fridge for the next time you need a quick pick-me-up, then just mix it with a fresh batch of milk. Hopefully we don’t have another week of weather like last week any time soon, but if we do, I’ll be prepared to curl up at home with one or two of these.

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Salted Caramel Chai Latte

Serves 4.

• 4 bags black tea
• 3 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and diced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 10 whole cloves
• 6 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 whole star anise
• 1/3 c. salted caramel, plus more for drizzling (I used this recipe but added 1 cup heavy cream instead of 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 c. white sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• whipped cream for serving

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Pour 1 1/4 cup of boiling water over tea bags in a heatproof bowl, then let tea steep for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags, squeezing out any extra liquid you can with a spoon.
2. Add brewed tea, fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, star anise, salted caramel, and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then simmer on low for 10 minutes. Mixture should have the consistency of a very thin syrup. Let steep 5 minutes longer, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar, discarding solids.
3. Heat milk until it is just barely bubbling over low heat or in a microwave, then use a milk frother to froth. Divide chai syrup between four glasses, then add 1/2 cup milk to each glass and stir to combine. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel, and serve immediately.

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As promised, I’m back with the drinkable half of my submission to Captain’s Table Christmas. Trevor did rum-cocktail research while I was away in Russia/Spain, and his favorite discovery was the Tom & Jerry, a variant of eggnog that is served warm. Apparently it’s a traditional Christmastime cocktail here in the States, but it was new to me, perhaps because it isn’t typically found outside of the midwest. I’m curious, have any of you ever had one? Do you have any favorite flavors? We decided to flavor this version with chocolate and orange, another traditional Christmastime combo. To make the “batter,” sweetened cocoa-powder and egg yolks get folded in to whipped egg whites, and then the batter is mixed with rum and orange liqueur and frothed with a little bit of warm milk, resulting in a sweet, strong, frothy drink with lots of Christmasy flavors. Give it a try! And then the next time you go to Wisconsin or Minnesota you’ll be that much more culturally attuned.

Remember, use the #CaptainsTable hashtag in your tweets/pins/instagrams/posts about holiday recipes and entertaining and $1 will be donated to WhyHunger every time. So mix up a drink, snap a picture, and share!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Captain Morgan, who provided me with product samples and monetary compensation in exchange for my participation in this program. All opinions are honest and my own, as always.

Chocolate-Orange Tom & Jerry

Serves 4.

• 2 eggs
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1 TBS cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2 c. milk
• 4 oz. Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
• 4 oz. Cointreau or other orange liqueur
• zest from 1 orange

1. Separate the eggs. Whip the egg whites until white and frothy, so they hold their shape but are not stiff and shiny. In a separate bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat the egg yolks together with the cocoa-sugar until very smooth and runny. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the yolks until the mixture is even in color and consistency.
2. Heat the milk over low heat, until it is just beginning to steam, then turn off the heat. To prepare the drinks, add a few TBS of the chocolate egg white “batter” to each of four glasses, then add 1 oz. of rum and 1 oz. of orange liqueur to each glass. Stir gently to combine. Add 1/2 c. of warm milk to each glass, and stir vigorously to froth the drink. Taste, adding more milk or chocolate batter to your liking. Serve immediately topped with orange zest.

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Just another quick hello and a recipe for a simple, summery, one-pan meal of the variety I think many of you are looking for at this time of year. Oftentimes August feels a bit like a warning month, reminding us summer is ending, enjoy it now! Even as the best produce of the year starts to ripen, we don’t want to be too beholden to our kitchens, and quick nutritious dinners with plenty of leftovers ensure that you can still enjoy these warm sunny afternoons. As corn and tomatoes flood the markets and (hopefully!) your gardens, it’s easy to throw them together into just about everything you make – salads, pastas, tacos, etc. This is one more good option for using up these two sweet summer veggies. By letting the couscous, milk, chicken, tomatoes, corn and garlic all simmer together at the same time, not only do you cut down on dish-washing, you end up with a risotto-like dish with all the flavors of summer blended together. Sprinkle some crisped bacon and a handful of shredded basil on top to take it one step further, eat, and then get back to enjoying your summer.

Creamy Summer Chicken with Corn, Tomatoes, and Bacon

Adapted from Martha Stewart. Serves 3-4.

• 1 lb. of boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
• 2 TBS olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• 3/4 c. Israeli couscous
• 2 1/2 c. whole milk
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/2 c. frozen corn
• 10 leaves basil, chiffonaded

1. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and brown until golden, then flip and brown the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. Lower the heat on the pan to low, and let cool for a minute, add the bacon and cook until crisp on both sides, flipping once or twice. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate (different from the chicken), and set aside.
3. Add the onion and garlic cloves to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until translucent, then add the couscous and cook 2-3 minutes longer, or until couscous is toasted and golden. Add the milk, thyme, chicken, and cherry tomatoes, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Carefully bring the milk to a simmer, then lower heat and cover, cooking until cherry tomatoes are softened and chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Check doneness of chicken by cutting into the fattest breast – if there is no sign of pink left in the middle, then the chicken is done. If your temperature is too high, milk may curdle, but it’s not the end of the world – it won’t be as pretty but you can still eat it.
4. Remove the lid and add the corn to the pan. Cook for another 5 minutes, until corn is warmed through and liquid is mostly evaporated. Remove from heat, and crumble the cooked bacon over the top. Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of the basil chiffonade.

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As I try to keep up with the healthy habits I was starting to establish during my cleanse (no thanks to the likes of these chocolate-hazelnut mousse cakes I made for Lake Champlain Chocolates!), I’ve come to realize that if I don’t get started on the right foot in the morning, my whole day is thrown off. Making sure that I have a healthy breakfast doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll stick to the plan through dinner, but starting the day off with something bad usually means I can’t recover and end up indulging all day. This is good knowledge to be armed with, but it’s still something I struggle to execute on. I like mornings, so that’s not the problem – it’s more that I’m the sort of person who’s perpetually five minutes late to everything because I try to cram too many things into one time slot. So when 8:05 rolls around and I’m still in bed writing emails and catching up on my reader, and I suddenly realize I have exactly 7 minutes to get dressed, make breakfast, clean up from breakfast, brush my teeth, make my lunch, do my hair, and leave, breakfast frequently falls by the wayside. And I’m still 10 minutes late to work.

Enter pre-made breakfasts: I’ve found that having something already made in the fridge makes it about 90% more likely that I’ll eat something nutritious before leaving for work. If it’s something I’m excited about eating, I’ll even go grab a plateful at 7:30 and then return to bed with it. Last week I did really well with a batch of whole wheat fruit and nut pancakes that I made on Sunday and ate throughout the week. This week, I whipped up this breakfast quinoa bake and have really been enjoying it. A quinoa bake was kind of a logical next step when breakfast quinoa is already a staple meal of mine, and overnight oats have inundated the internet. So I threw some ingredients together that I thought might work, and it turned out even better than I hoped – it’s sweet, mild, and fruity, with a consistency similar to rice pudding. Definitely worth getting out of bed for. You can find the recipe over at Greatist – if you try it, let me know what variations you make!

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Time for another week.  Translation: time for coffee to get us through Monday morning.  If you’re me, preferably some milky, sugary coffee, maybe with a little whipped cream.  And chocolate.  It is Monday after all, and Mondays are hard.  Especially after you’ve spent the weekend meeting great people at a great food blogger conference at Stonewall Kitchen and you’re not quite ready to be thinking about your day job, which is not food blogging.  I’ll probably talk more about the conference soon, but for now, let me just thank Alana and Amy of Blog Better Boston for putting it together!

I was never a big coffee drinker until this year (and at 3-4 cups a week, I guess most of you still wouldn’t say I qualify as a big coffee drinker).  I’ve always liked coffee – the flavor, warmth, etc. (again, since by coffee I mean lattes with three packs of sugar, some of you might judge me – I’m OK with that), but I’m super sensitive to caffeine.  One cup of Starbucks coffee and I’m shaking, my heart is racing, and I can’t focus on anything.  Not exactly the desired effect.  But when I’m really dragging, one warm latte is just the thing to get me going.

This is another recipe from Home Made Winter, which I reviewed last week.  Doesn’t it just look like the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold day?  I adapted the recipe a little bit to use espresso instead of coffee, since I don’t have a regular coffee pot (in fact, I don’t have any coffee-making equipment – I had to borrow Trevor’s bialetti for this one!  A great little tool, by the way.)  I also used skim milk, instead of whole, since I wasn’t feeling that indulgent.  Because the recipe has you melt white chocolate into the warm milk, and slightly sweeten the whipped cream, I didn’t even need any extra sugar – I know, I’m a hero right?

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekends, and have a great Monday!

White Chocolate Lattes

Recipe adapted from Home Made Winter.  Serves 2.

Note: Original recipe calls for a smaller volume of whole milk and a larger volume of regular coffee (1 c. milk, 3/4 c. coffee for 2 servings).  Since I wanted to use espresso and have this be more like a latte, I increased the amount of milk and used a shot of espresso per glass, but I’m sure either way would be delicious.  I also don’t love the flavor of cardamom, so I made it optional, but include it if you like the flavor!

• 1 1/2 c. skim milk
• 1 1/2 oz. white chocolate, chopped finely, plus extra for garnish
• 3 oz. (6 TBS) of hot espresso
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional, but I always use it to stiffen my cream)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground cardamom (optional)

1. Heat the milk over low heat in a medium saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon.  As soon as it begins to simmer.  Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate.  Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir again.  If the chocolate is not fully melted, heat gently for 1-2 minutes over low heat, stirring.
2. In a small bowl, whisk cream until it begins to foam.  Sprinkle cream of tartar over the top, then whisk vigorously until soft peaks form.  Add sugar and vanilla, and whisk to incorporate.
3. Divide hot espresso between two glasses.  Top each glass off with the warm milk and chocolate mixture, and stir to mix.  Top with whipped cream, any extra white chocolate shavings, and ground cardamom, if using.  Enjoy while hot!

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In the past two years I’ve participated in several recipe development challenges hosted by Marx Foods, an online company that sells specialty meats (think alligator, kangaroo, and frog), truffle products, mushrooms, unique pantry goods, and lots of other culinary goodies.  The first challenge I participated in was the four-part “Ridiculously Delicious” challenge they hosted last winter, for which I made dill and feta stuffed cucumber cups, spicy cherry-chocolate souffles, and a trio of wasabi-centric recipes using fresh wasabi.  Then, this summer, I participated in the dried chile challenge, and made a smoky-sweet adobo and corn frittata, which I very much enjoyed.  And now it’s time for another challenge!  This time around the challenge is to make a sweet recipe using fregola – an ingredient I’d never even heard of until this month.  I have yet to win one of these challenges, but maybe this will be my lucky recipe.

Fregola is a toasted Italian pasta, similar in size and shape to Israeli couscous.  I could eat couscous all day every day, so I was super excited to try another version of it.  To be honest, I didn’t like the fregola as much as I like regular old couscous – it’s very chewy and has an almost tapioca-like consistency – but it was still an interesting new addition to my kitchen.  Along with the sample of fregola, Marx sent a handful of other goods to inspire a sweet fregola creation – whole vanilla beans, star anise, and saffron.  The contestants were required to use at least one of the extra ingredients along with the fregola.  Almost immediately upon signing up for this contest I knew that I wanted to create a fregola fritter, something that played on arancini – the delicious cheesy fried risotto balls made with leftover risotto which I seem to be eating a lot of lately.  So I made a fregola pudding using milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, and vanilla, and then, after a brief rest in the fridge, fried it up into fritters.  To cut the grease and add another level of flavor, I made a batch of Gourmet’s grapefruit and star anise salad.  My mom and I make this salad every year on Christmas morning, and it’s my favorite part of Christmas breakfast without fail.  Even when there’s vanilla bean coffee cake, maple-turkey sausage patties, and pomegranate mimosas – that should tell you something about how delicious it is.  It was the perfect complement to the slightly sweet, chewy fritters, and the syrup soaked right into them.  I’ll be enjoying the leftovers for breakfast for the next few days (and not even feeling that bad about it – thank you, grapefruit).  I think this is the original recipe that I’m most proud of – I guess there’s something to be said for keeping it simple.

Sweet Fregola Fritters with Star-Anise and Grapefruit Compote

Grapefruit compote recipe from Gourmet.  Makes 5 large fritters.

• 1 c. fregola
• 3 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 vanilla bean
• canola oil for frying
• 2 grapefruits
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 3 whole star anise

1. In a large saucepan mix together fregola, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey.  Scrape out seeds from vanilla bean and add to the mixture along with the pod.  Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring frequently (be sure to scrape any milk skin off the bottom to prevent from burning) for 20-30 minutes, until pasta has just a bit of chewiness left and milk has boiled down to create a thick fregola pudding.  Remove the vanilla bean pod and refrigerate mixture for 1 hour, or until cool.
2. In a small saucepan, dissolve sugar in water, and add the star anise.  Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes to create a thin syrup.  Peel the grapefruits and remove their segments, placing in a medium bowl.  Squeeze any excess grapefruit juice into bowl as well.  Add the star anise syrup to the grapefruit mixture and set aside.
3. Heat a 1/2 inch of canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  When oil is hot, form the fregola pudding into 5 patties about 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick, and gently fry for 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.  Fregola mixture should stay firmly together when formed into patties by hand.  Drain fritters on a paper towel and serve warm, with the grapefruit compote served on the side.

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Tapioca reminds me of my dad.  I’m not really sure why, as it’s been years since I’ve had it other than the sort-of-questionable snack pack version.  But I have this extremely hazy but pleasant memory of sitting in my kitchen when I was really little, about four or five, before we’d remodeled our house, watching my dad make tapioca, and then sitting on his lap and eating it.  I think I remember eating it a lot, asking for it all the time, it being my special treat, but then again, I’m not really sure.  And I don’t know whether he made it from scratch or from a box.  In any case, it’s a warm and fuzzy sorta thing.

I’ve been meaning to make homemade tapioca for a while, but I can never find the pearls anywhere.  Then, last week, Trev and I went on an adventure to the Asian market, and shelved somewhere amongst the dried mushrooms and packages of vermicelli and bottles of sesame oil I found stacks of tapioca pearls.  I bought a pack for 99 cents, and now I have tapioca, and the key to the warm, comforting custard I remember so fondly.

Since yesterday was National Tapioca Day, I thought I’d finally make some pudding in celebration.  However, I got lazy, so today we’re celebrating day after National Tapioca Day.  Close enough.  In searching for a recipe I found a huge variety of ways to cook it, most of them with intimidating instructions like “cook, stirring constantly, for two hours.”  Two hours is not an amount of time I want to spend stirring tapioca.  Or anything else for that matter.  So I cobbled together my own recipe, and it ended up taking less than an hour to make.  I was surprised at how quickly the milk and tapioca mixture became custardy – it only took about 15 minutes, whereas I’d read reviews on recipes complaining that the tapioca had never thickened, even after hours of cooking.  I’m guessing that how quickly the pudding comes together depends largely on the type of tapioca used – how fresh it is, how long it takes to dissolve, etc.  Mine began to dissolve even in the pre-soak, which is apparently a good thing.

I’m feeling a little under the weather, and the end result made me feel a little better, placing this recipe solidly in the “keeper” category.  A few notes: most people prefer tapioca cold, but I like to have mine warm, straight out of the pan.  It’s good either way.  Also, this recipe contains raw egg whites, which are only heated slightly during the cooking process.  Personally, I’ve eaten enough cookie dough in my life to be OK with raw egg (and I hate recipes with unequal numbers of whites and yolks), but if this makes you uncomfortable, you could replace the egg whites with half a cup of heavy cream, whipped, and then folded into the pudding in place of the egg. Enjoy!

Cinnamon-Vanilla Tapioca Pudding

• 1/2 c. large pearl tapioca
• 3 c. whole milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 whole cinnamon sticks
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 egg whites (or 1/2 c. whipping cream, see note above)
• 1/2 c. + 3 TBS sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Soak tapioca pearls in 2 cups cold water for at least 2 hours.  Drain, but do not rinse.
2. Bring milk, salt, and cinnamon sticks to a gentle boil in a medium, heavy bottomed sauce pan.  Reduce heat and add tapioca pearls.  Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until tapioca pearls are translucent and milk has thickened into a custard.  This may take anywhere from half an hour to an hour, depending on the type of tapioca you are using.
3. Separate eggs.  In a medium bowl, whisk together yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar.
4. In a different, medium bowl, whisk whites until beginning to stiffen.  Add remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking in between additions.  Beat whites until fairly stiff.
5. Temper egg yolks: when tapioca has thickened, slowly pour a thin stream of custard into egg yolks, whisking yolks vigorously at the same time.  Continuing pouring custard and whisking until you have poured about a cup of custard into yolks.  Then, still whisking, pour the yolks and custard back into the main custard pot.  Continue to cook pudding for about ten minutes, stirring frequently.
6. When pudding is done cooking, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Then, gently fold in egg whites until fully incorporated.  Pour into serving dish and refrigerate until serving time.  Garnish with cinnamon and turbinado sugar.

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