a warm winter makes way for an early harvest of strawberries
meandering down a country road this weekend passed
i happened across a roadside stand
loaded with berries and heaps of pistachios
locally grown
to keep up with our highly productive flock
i find myself
dreaming up custards
frozen custards
frozen custards made from
backyard eggs
fresh milk
and
farmstand goodies
pistachio-strawberry swirl ice cream
1 cup unsalted (roasted and shelled) pistachios
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
7 large eggs yolks
pinch salt (sea or kosher)
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup chopped pistachios (optional)
whisk the egg yolks, salt and 3/4 cup sugar. place milk and the pistachios in a blender and puree until the nuts are completely liquid and smooth. add 3/4 cup sugar and place over low heat and warm to a simmer. remove from heat and whisk into the eggs and sugar mixture. tip back into the saucepan and cook over very low heat, stirring continually with a rubber spatula. do not allow to boil, and cook until it just begins to thicken to nappe. remove from heat and pour through a sieve into a clean bowl. stir in vanilla and heavy cream. refrigerate 6 hours to overnight. freeze according to ice cream manufacturers instructions.
once the custard is frozen, transfer it to a freezer safe container. swirl in the strawberry preserves and the chopped pistachios (if using)
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
7 large eggs yolks
pinch salt (sea or kosher)
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup chopped pistachios (optional)
whisk the egg yolks, salt and 3/4 cup sugar. place milk and the pistachios in a blender and puree until the nuts are completely liquid and smooth. add 3/4 cup sugar and place over low heat and warm to a simmer. remove from heat and whisk into the eggs and sugar mixture. tip back into the saucepan and cook over very low heat, stirring continually with a rubber spatula. do not allow to boil, and cook until it just begins to thicken to nappe. remove from heat and pour through a sieve into a clean bowl. stir in vanilla and heavy cream. refrigerate 6 hours to overnight. freeze according to ice cream manufacturers instructions.
once the custard is frozen, transfer it to a freezer safe container. swirl in the strawberry preserves and the chopped pistachios (if using)
*if you choose to make your own strawberry preserves, simply place 2 cups of roughly chopped strawberries in a saucepan. taste for sweetness. squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon. add sugar according to sweetness. add up to 1 1/2 cups of sugar (less if sweet strawberries, more if not sweet). cook at a simmer until strawberries break down and soften and they sit in a thick glaze. refrigerate until needed
