HIGH WHISK ACTIVITY
What to do with left-over egg yolks – whisk them into warm, boozy, fluffy zabaglione.
First, a big thank you to those who queried the thickness of the sliced potatoes in last week’s potato and tomato bake; and a big cheers to those who worked out that I meant 5 mm (and not 5cm!) and said it was delicious and forgave me. Rest assured, the recipe online is the real deal.
So. Egg yolks or egg whites - which came first?
I was asked for a recipe that used up left-over egg whites this week, so have been testing some rather delicious coconut macaroons. Zero waste and all that.
Trouble was, I didn’t have three left-over egg whites, so I had to crack into three eggs in order to get them, which of course – if you’re still with me – left me with three left-over egg yolks.
Not exactly the zero waste look I was going for.
So now, I’ve tested a recipe that uses three left-over egg yolks, and feel I have closure on this.
ZABAGLIONE
Zab is the Italian form of the French sabayon, and it’s warm, boozy, thick, silky and sweet. Not bad for something that requires just three ingredients and an elbow.
Here’s what you’re going to do:
You’re going to mix egg yolks, sugar and booze together in a heatproof glass, metal or copper bowl. Then you’re going to place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, so that it sits above the water and is not in contact with it, and start whisking.
You can use an electric beater for the first stage if you want to save your elbow action for later, then swap to a good strong whisk for the cooking stage.
You will whisk and whisk and think nothing is happening, and that you have failed. After three minutes, your arm will become tired. Then you will start to sense a thickening, a little extra glossiness, a sense of lightness in the warm mass you are whisking. Keep whisking. And I don’t mean beating, I mean using the whisk like a ferris wheel, continuously scooping up the mixture below and turning it over, to get air into it.
Do watch out for over-heating, or the egg will cook against the heat of the bottom or side of the bowl, and scramble.
If all goes according to plan, the mixture will expand and become like a foamy custard, which is when you pour it into your glasses or over fruit and serve it irresistibly warm. Even if it doesn’t go light and foamy – if it just stays rich and silky – it will still be beautiful.
Have some dessert glasses ready.
Either… pop some berries into each glass and top the zabaglione with more berries (although they will sink into it).
Or… place a sponge finger biscuit in each glass and pour the zabaglione in – the biscuit can be used for dipping until it softens and becomes all cakey within the zabaglione, as it does in a good tiramisu.
If you want to serve the zabaglione cold, do so (it’s divine), but just pour it into glasses without fruit or biscotti. Some of the wine will form a layer at the bottom of the glass - just tell everyone the booze at the bottom is the best bit.
Note that Marsala is the traditional choice, but I adore zabaglione made with Pedro Ximénez (an intense, dark, rich, warmly perfumed sweet sherry from Spain, easily available, about $30 bottle). The grapes are sun-dried to concentrate the sugar, so PX, as it is known, is like drinking boozy raisins, dried figs and chocolate.
ZABAGLIONE
Enough for four small dessert glasses or two big greedy ones.
3 fresh egg yolks (eg 60 g total)
2 tbsp (40 g) caster sugar
3 tbsp (60 ml) Pedro Ximinex (PX) or Marsala
Whisk egg yolks, sugar and booze in a heatproof bowl until thick and creamy.
Place the bowl over a saucepan half-filled with barely simmering water, and whisk continually for 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens and expands into a rich foamy custard.
Pour or spoon into glasses and serve warm, with berries or sponge finger biscuits.
TWO MORE THINGS TO DO WITH LEFTOVER EGG YOLKS
A beautifully silky aioli to serve with fish and vegetables.
A lush, fluffy hollandaise to serve with spring vegetables (hurry up, spring).
Thanks for reading! Feel free to subscribe for more Jill Dupleix Eats in your inbox every Thursday. And special thanks to my right-hand man, Terry Durack, for lending me his elbow.
I would also like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands and waters upon which I work, live, cook and play; the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. I fully support the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice to be enshrined in Australia’s Constitution. It’s about time, folks.