Free Vegetarian Recipes Search! Enter Your Topic Below:

Chapter 9. Custards and Pies

Asparagus-Cheese Pudding
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, or 2 packages frozen
4 slices white bread, toasted and trimmed
1 cup(1/4 pound)grated Cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk, scaled
1 tablespoon melted butter

Wash the fresh asparagus thoroughly; cut 2-inch tips off 8 fresh or frozen asparagus stalks. Cut the remaining fresh or frozen asparagus into 1-inch pieces.

Cut the toast into 1-inch squares. In a buttered 6-by-10-inch baking pan, arrange successive layers of toast, asparagus and cheese. Beat the eggs, salt and pepper. Gradually add the hot milk and butter, mixing steadily to prevent curdling. Pour over the layers. Place in a pan of hot water. Bake in a preheated 325 oven 1 hour, or until the custard is set.

10 minutes before the end of baking time, cook the reserved asparagus tips. Drain and arrange on the pudding. Serves 6-8.

Asparagus Rarebit
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups(1/2 pound) grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 cup beer or milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
2 pounds asparagus, or 2 packages frozen, cooked and drained
Buttered toast

Cook the butter and cheese over low heat until melted. Blend in the mustard, beer or milk, and Worcestershire sauce. Beat the egg in a bowl; gradually add a little of the sauce, stirring steadily to prevent curdling. Return to the saucepan. Cook, stirring steadily, until thickened. Arrange the asparagus on the toast and pour the sauce over all. Serves 6-8.

Green Bean Pie
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 pound ground beef
1 pound fresh, or 1 package frozen green beans, cooked and drained
13/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
6 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Melt the butter in a skillet; saut the onion 10 minutes. Add the meat; cook until no pink remains, stirring frequently to prevent lumps from forming. Mix in beans, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4teaspoon nutmeg; cook 2 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

Beat the eggs with the sugar, lemon juice and remaining spices. Stir into the bean mixture. Turn into a greased 10-inch pie plate. Bake in a preheated 325 oven 45 minutes, or until browned and set. Serve hot or cold. Serves 4-6.

Green Custard
1 1/2 pounds turnip or mustard greens
3/4 cup water
4 teaspoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups light cream
5 egg yolks
4 egg whites, beaten stiff

Wash the greens thoroughly; remove the stems and tough ribs. Chop the leaves. Combine with the water; bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and chop fine.

Melt the butter in a saucepan; saut the onion until soft and yellow. Blend in the flour, salt and pepper. Add the cream gradually, stirring steadily to the boiling point; cook over low heat 5 minutes. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl; gradually add the hot sauce, stirring steadily to prevent curdling. Return to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring steadily until thickened. Do not let boil. Mix in the greens. Taste for seasoning and cool. Fold in the egg whites.

Turn into a buttered l1/2-quart ring mold. Set in a shallow pan of hot water. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 40 minutes, or until set. Run a knife around the edge and carefully turn out onto a heated serving dish. The center may be filled with rice, mashed potatoes or sauted mushrooms. Serves 4-6.

Corn and Carrot Pudding
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned whole-kernel corn
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Melt the butter in a saucepan; saut the onion 5 minutes. Blend in the flour, salt, pepper and sugar. Gradually add the milk, stirring steadily to the boiling point; cook over low heat 5 minutes. Mix in the carrots, corn and green pepper, then the eggs. Turn into a buttered iy2-quart baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 45 minutes, or until set. Serves 4-6.

Pain de Carottes
(Carrot Rice Pudding)
6 cups sliced carrots
3/4 cup raw rice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten

Cook the carrots, rice and salt in the boiling water 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain; pure in an electric blender, or force through a sieve. Beat in the butter, sugar, nutmeg and eggs. Taste for seasoning. Turn into a buttered baking dish. Set in a pan of hot water; bake in a preheated 300 oven 45 minutes, or until set. Serves 4-6.

Mousse aux Choux-Fleurs (Cauliflower Mousse)
4-pound head of cauliflower, or 3 packages frozen
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup milk
5 eggs

Remove the leaves of the fresh cauliflower and wash thoroughly. Cook in boiling salted water 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Cook the frozen cauliflower as package directs. Drain. Pure the cauliflower in an electric blender, or force through a sieve.

Melt the butter in a saucepan; blend in the flour, salt and pepper. Add the milk, stirring steadily to the boiling point; cook over low heat 5 minutes. Beat the eggs in a bowl; gradually add the hot sauce, stirring steadily to prevent curdling. Stir in the cauliflower; taste for seasoning.

Turn into a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole. Place in a shallow pan, in 2 inches of hot water. Bake in a preheated 375 oven 40 minutes, or until browned and set. Serves 6-8.

Baked Corn and Mushroom Custard
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 20-ounce can cream-style corn
1 tablespoon minced parsley
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the mushrooms, onion and celery; saut 10 minutes. Add the corn, parsley, pimiento, salt and pepper. Beat the egg with the milk; add to corn mixture. Turn into a buttered 1-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with the crumbs and cheese. Bake in a 350 oven 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serves 4-6.

Baked Eggplant with Cheese Custard
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 small eggplant, peeled and sliced
1 cup milk
1/4 pound butter
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 pound Mozzarella cheese, grated
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the bread crumbs, flour and salt on a piece of waxed paper. Dip the eggplant slices in the milk and then in the bread crumb mixture, coating the slices well. Melt half the butter in a skillet. Saut eggplant in it until browned on both sides, adding more butter as necessary.

Combine the eggs, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Place a layer of eggplant on the bottom of a buttered baking dish. Spread the cheese mixture on it and cover with remaining eggplant. Bake in a preheated 375 oven 20 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Mushroom Fondue
5 tablespoons butter
2 pounds mushrooms, sliced thin
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup light cream
1 cup grated Swiss cheese

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet; saut the mushrooms 5 minutes. Season with 3/4teaspoon salt and the pepper.

Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan; blend in the flour and remaining salt. Add the cream gradually, stirring steadily to the boiling point. Mix in the mushrooms; cook over low heat 10 minutes; taste for seasoning. Stir in the cheese until melted. Turn into 1-quart baking dish. Bake in a 425 oven 10 minutes, or until delicately browned. Serves 4-6.

Finnish Mushroom Pudding
2 1/2 cups bread cubes
2 cups milk
6 tablespoons butter
2 pounds mushrooms, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons minced parsley
4 egg whites, beaten stiff
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Soak the bread in the milk until soft, then mash smooth.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet; saute1 the mushrooms 5 minutes. Remove. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet; saut the onion 10 minutes. Mix together the mashed bread, mushrooms, onion, egg yolks, salt, pepper and parsley. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a buttered l1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Put baking dish in a shallow pan of water. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 50 minutes, or until browned and set. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Onion-Cheese Custard
2 large Bermuda onions, sliced
2 cups bread cubes
3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Cook the onion slices in boiling, salted water 10 minutes. Drain slices and place half of them in a shallow buttered baking dish. Scatter half of the bread cubes over the onion slices; cover with half the cheese. Repeat onion, bread cubes, and cheese layers. Beat together the milk, eggs, salt and pepper; pour into the baking dish. Dot with butter. Bake in a 350 oven 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serves 4.

Onion-Cheese Pie
3 cups thinly sliced onions
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups cottage cheese, drained
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
9-inch baked pie shell

Saut the onions in the butter until tender; season to taste. Mix the cheese and cream; season with the salt and pepper. Pour into the pie shell; cover with the onions. Bake in a preheated 400 oven 15 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Onion-Nut Souffl
4 cups chopped white onions
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons minced parsley
5 egg whites, beaten stiff

Cook the onions in 1 cup milk 15 minutes, or until tender.

Melt the butter in a saucepan; blend in the flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add the remaining milk, stirring steadily to the boiling point. Cook over low heat 8 minutes. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl; gradually add the hot sauce, stirring steadily to prevent curdling. Mix in the un-drained onions, the nuts and parsley. Taste for seasoning. Cool 15 minutes. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a l1/2-quart souffle1 dish. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 35 minutes, or until browned and set. Serves 6-8.

Onion Tart
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups thinly sliced onions
2 eggs
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
9-inch unbaked pastry shell
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon caraway seeds(optional)

Melt the butter in a skillet; saut the onions 15 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned. Beat together the eggs, sour cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg; stir in the onions. Turn into the lined pie plate. Sprinkle with the paprika and caraway. Bake in a preheated 450 oven 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 30 minutes longer, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve hot. Serves 6-8.

Pissaladire
(Provenale Onion Pie)
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 9-inch baked pastry shell
2 cans fillets of anchovies
1 cup sliced black olives

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet; saut the onions over very low heat until tender and lightly browned. Season with the salt and pepper. Cool, then spread in the pastry shell. Drain and chop the anchovies. Sprinkle over the onions with the olives. Mix lightly with a fork. Bake in a preheated 375 oven 10 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 6.

Frittata di Spinacio
(Spinach Pancake-Omelet)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1 glove garlic
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
? teaspoon freshly ground back pepper
? teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped cooked spinach
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet; saut the onion and garlic until soft and yellow. Discard the garlic.

Beat together the eggs, salt, pepper and thyme. Mix in the cheese, spinach, bread crumbs, onion and 1 tablespoon oil. Taste for seasoning.

Wipe the skillet clean of any onion. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet; pour the mixture into it. Cook over low heat until shrunk away from the sides of the pan, then place under a hot broiler to brown the top. Serves 3-4.

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

The pastry used in this dish is extremely thin. Packaged strudel leaves or phyllo sheets (available in Greek, Armenian or Turkish stores) may be used. You will need 10 sheets. (A very thin pie pastry may be substituted with good, but not perfect results. Prepare in a 9-inch pie plate, using 2 crusts.)

2 pounds spinach, or 2 packages frozen, thawed
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground back pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped scallions(green onions)
2 teaspoons minced dill
2 teaspoons minced parsley

1/2 pound feta(Greek) cheese, mashed or 1/2 pound drained cottage cheese and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Wash the fresh spinach, drain and chop it. Sprinkle the fresh or frozen spinach with the salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; let stand 1 hour. Press all the liquid from it.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a skillet; saut the scallions 5 minutes. Mix in the spinach; cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl; mix in the dill, parsley, cheese and remaining pepper.

Brush an 8-by-12-inch shallow baking pan with oil. Line it with 1 sheet of pastry. Brush pastry with oil and cover with 4 more sheets, brushing each with oil. Spread spinach mixture over it and cover with remaining 5 sheets, brushing each with oil. With a knife, score the top into squares and brush lightly with cold water. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 40 minutes, or until browned.

Cool 10 minutes before cutting through the squares. Serves 6-8.

Zucchini in Custard Sauce
4 zucchini(2 pounds)
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 egg yolks

Wash the zucchini and scrape lightly; slice 1/2 inch thick. Cook in boiling salted water 5 minutes. Drain well. Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the zucchini and toss until coated. Mix in 1 cup cream, the salt and pepper; cook over low heat 10 minutes, or until tender.

Beat the egg yolks and remaining cream in a bowl; add a little hot liquid, stirring steadily to prevent curdling. Mix into the zucchini. Heat, stirring steadily, but do not let boil. Serves 4-6.

Spinach has always had to fight a losing battle with adults, after a childhood in which most of us were given the worst possible introduction to a vegetable: "Eat your spinach; it's good for you!" Most of us have recovered from this standardized, almost obligatory, childhood trauma, and can enjoy spinach for its fresh, garden flavor.

Earliest records? Spinach was first noted in Asia Minor, probably in the vicinity of what was then called Persia. Its peregrinations brought the leafy plant westward into France and Spain, where it was well received. The theory has even been advanced that the word spinach comes from the word Spanish, for the Iberians became staunch advocates of the leafy green. Medieval writings are filled with references to "spinaches," "spinaches," and even "spanitches." It was first brought to the United States towards the end of the 18th century.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...