Purrfect Popovers + Cran/Pom Jam

Starting off with a new recipe for a morning treat or a dinner party is my way of kicking off the New Year in style. This one however took some doing to get to the right bit of everything. I literally went through over a dozen eggs to land on two purrfect recipes that will yield truly lofty popovers and one that will be slightly less lofty, but a tasty breakfast version featuring our Sea of Thieves favorite fruit: Banana.

There are two recipes here, one that is a version of Yorkshire Pudding without the roast beef drippings and one that involves a blender. I recommend reading through each recipe thoroughly and deciding which one is right for your intended occasion.

NOTE: Popovers will deflate a bit, turning the oven off and letting them gradually cool in a warm environment can help sustain the loft. Another trick is using a pointy knife cut a small hole at the top of each to let the steam out.

And of course, if you happen to have left over cranberries hanging around, this is an ideal recipe as it is also pomegranate season. The jam is incredibly easy to make and nice and tart.

Full Proof Popovers

• 2 eggs + 1 egg white

• 1 1/4 cup of milk

• 2 Tbs. unsalted melted butter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 tsp. salt

• 6 – ¼ tsp of vegetable shortening for bottom of cups

NOTE: If you're going traditional and you have beef drippings, instead of the shortening, add half a table spoon to each cup.

Make sure everything is at room temperature.

Place your oven rack at the bottom third of your oven, not the bottom tier.

Heat oven to 425­°F/219°C

In a small to medium bowl whisk together the flour and salt.

In a large bowl, preferably with a spout, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs and egg white. Add the milk and melted butter and continue to whisk.

Then let stand for 20 minutes or more.

Heat a six cup, nonstick, popover pan in the oven for 5 minutes.

Carefully remove the pan and add 1/4 tsp of vegetable shortening to the bottom of cups.

Distribute the batter evenly to the cups and do note overfill.

Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F/177°C for another 10 minutes.

Shut the oven off and let them cool in oven gradually for another 10 minutes.

Do not open oven.

When done remove from oven and serve immediately.

Purrfect Banana Popovers

• 2 eggs + 1 egg white

• 1 1/4 cup of milk

• 2 Tbs. unsalted melted butter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ½ of a very ripe small banana – about 3 tbsp

• 3/4 tsp. salt

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 6 – ¼ tsp of vegetable shortening for bottom of cups

Make sure everything is at room temperature.

Place your oven rack at the bottom third of your oven, not the bottom tier.

Heat oven to 425­°F/219°C

Add eggs and egg white to a blender along with the milk, banana, vanilla extract, and melted butter, and blend.

Add in the flour and salt, and blend.

Then let stand for 20 minutes or more.

Heat a six cup, nonstick, popover pan in the oven for 5 minutes.

Carefully remove the pan and add 1/4 tsp of vegetable shortening to the bottom of cups.

Distribute the batter evenly to the cups and do note overfill.

Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F/177°C for another 10 minutes.

Shut the oven off and let them cool in oven gradually for another 10 minutes.

Do not open oven.

When done remove from oven and serve immediately.

Cranberry Pomegranate Jam

• 1 cup cranberries

• 4 ounces 100% pomegranate juice

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and heat on medium until all cranberries have popped. Keep simmering on medium heat until thickened, roughly 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. After cooled and set, add in the fresh pomegranate seeds and mix well. Refrigerate.