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heavy cream

Butter-Pecan Creme Brulee

by Eugene on January 22, 2009 · 6 comments

souffle

I’m not the biggest fan of Splenda. It spices up the low-carb lifestyle, sure, and the latest Atkins books all say that it’s fine in moderation, but I find that things just work better when I stay away from the sweetness. So when I found this recipe for a low carb, Atkins-friendly creme brulee that barely uses any Splenda at all, it went straight into my bookmarks.

The creme itself isn’t bad, as the custard base lent itself entirely to low carb translation. The topping, however, is something rather original. It’s a crunch, and it tastes great, but no one will be mistaking it for the real deal. I may have been spoiled by too many late-night movies with coffee and rock-solid brulee, but the pecans left me wanting for something to crack with my spoon. Be that as it may, since artificial sweeteners don’t caramelize, the butter-pecan topping is about as close as we’re getting to the real deal without using actual sugar (which, needless to say, would defeat the point).

Despite that exercise in fence sitting, I recommend this recipe wholeheartedly. It seems especially suited to dinner parties or special occasions, as you can make it a day or so ahead of time with absolutely no extra work required, and it’s oven to table in one dish, so cleanup is a breeze. And that’s what it’s all about, right?

low carb souffle

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Clam Chowder

by Eugene on January 17, 2009 · 6 comments

The last time I had clam chowder was at S&P Oyster Company, returning from a week on the Cape. It was so good that–as stupid as this sounds–I’ve passed it up at every chance since. That is, until I was thumbing through cookbooks and found a recipe for it in Heirloom Cooking With the Brass Sisters.

clam chowder

There were two problems, though. First, chowders are almost always potato based. I did some research and found that turnips, when used in soups and stews, are a perfect substitute for potatoes. (And it’s amazing how true that is.) The second, somewhat harder problem was finding a low carb thickener strong enough to replace a half cup of flour. I didn’t find my fix until it was reducing, but it seems that mild white cheese is the perfect thickener for chowder. And with that, voilà, a low carb, Atkins-friendly chowder that withstood my vacation memories.

chopped turnips

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Tomato Basil Soup

January 6, 2009

As far as fast food goes, my favorite restaurant has to be La Madeleine. When I was growing up, we would walk to the one just off St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, and being surrounded by French-Acadian culture with trollies whizzing by, it never occurred to me that it might be part of a [...]

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Five-Onion Gratin

December 14, 2008

This recipe combines every type of onion available at your average grocery, give or take an allium. The result is a creamy, sweet casserole with a tangy cheese crust. The interplay of the crunchy top and the sweet bottom isn’t unlike coffee cake, if that can be said about a dish with more than a [...]

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