The current trend of Southwestern cooking makes use of a variety of ingredients from Gulf Coast seafood to Mexican chiles. The young chefs of Texas are also influenced by Creole and Cajun cookery. : ‘but we all agree it tastes good’

Any attempt to analyze the current Southwestern cooking trend is likely to wind up in a discussion as complicated as chili and as spicy as a jalapeno.

At least that is what happened at a Festival of Southwest Cookery that brought food and beverage executives, restaurateurs, chefs, food industry and media representatives to Houston. Their goal, during a weekend of lectures, panel discussions, cooking demonstrations and lavish Texan meals, was to learn more about a trend that has brought the Southwest into prominence and influenced menus across the country.

At the end of the festival, Steven Pyles, chef-owner of the Routh Street Cafe in Dallas, spoke for many when he said, “We didn’t come up with any clear-cut definition of what we are doing, but we all agree it tastes good.”

Traditional Texan chili, steaks, beans and barbecue were acknowledged but placed on the back burner while attention focused on the work of innovative young chefs like Pyles who have migrated to the state.

Their enthusiasm sometimes results in what a New Yorker, scanning the menu of one new wave restaurant, called “off the wall” combinations of ingredients. Recipes tend to be complex and plates sometimes are loaded with too many foods or components that don’t relate.

“You have a lack of guidelines. There is no Escoffier telling us how to do things,” commented Anne Lindsay Greer, a Dallas resident and author of the book, “Cuisine of the American Southwest.”

This freewheeling approach inspired panelist Alison Cook, associate editor of Texas Monthly, to suggest using the question “Why?” as a guide rather than the “Why not?” that she blamed for overblown and unpalatable combinations.

Mexican cooking authority Diana Kennedy exhorted chefs to learn the classic formulas for traditional Mexican dishes before branching off on their own. However, the young Texan turks seem intent on carving out a new cuisine rather than emulating an old one. While they use Mexican ingredients, they also are influenced by the Creole and Cajun cookery of neighboring Louisiana, by old-time Texan cookery and by Texan products that include goat cheese, game meats and Gulf Coast seafood.

Basic to their larder are jalapeno and ancho chiles, red, green and yellow sweet peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos, cactus, beans, corn and cornmeal. Also important are sweet potatoes, pumpkins, papayas, mangoes, cherimoyas, Texas citrus and pecans. Other staples are Axis deer, quail, rabbit, game sausages, chorizo, oysters, crayfish, mussels, shrimp and redfish. Typical seasonings are cilantro, epazote, cumin, chili powder, garlic, tequila, tamarind and hot pepper sauce. Meats and fish are grilled over mesquite or smoked over corncobs. Wines produced in Texas may accompany the meal.

“There is nothing subtle about Southwestern food. The flavors are intense,” said Greer. “People are into clear, crisp, clean, assertive textures, not just spicy food.”

Chefs are feeling their way rather than making confident statements. “This dish I’m not sure about. I think it’s OK,” said Robert Del Grande as he began a demonstration of his black bean terrine. A Californian who is now chef-partner of Cafe Annie in Houston, Del Grande described the dish as “a cross between refried black beans, a pate and rillettes. “ The beans are boiled with epazote, pureed, then “refried” with chorizo, fatback and bacon. The resulting thick puree is molded with a log of goat cheese tunneling through the center. When sliced, it presents the dramatic contrast of a white circle surrounded by a dusky trapezoid--a far cry from typical Mexican refried beans and cheese in appearance, but not in taste. The slices are lightly sauteed and presented with salsa and crisp fried chorizo on either side.

Even light foods acquire intensity in the hands of these chefs. The fresh green puree with which Del Grande thickens and tints a mussel soup includes serrano chiles along with cilantro, garlic and parsley. “It has the sort of punch you expect in this area,” he said.

Mark Cox, executive chef of Brennan’s Houston restaurant, works in the same bold vein. “What we like to do is put a lot of flavor in our food,” Cox said. And he showed what he meant with a dinner at Brennan’s that was a tour de force both for the kitchen and for those who made their way through the rich assortment of foods.

Marinated Snapper Fillets

It started with Red Snapper Gravlax, which came closer to ceviche than true Scandinavian gravlax. Cox blackened snapper fillets and marinated them with the dill that Scandinavians use for gravlax but also with a spicy seasoning mix, epazote, coriander, mustard seeds, juniper berries, apple and citrus juices. A spoonful of tomatillo relish, warmed up with jalapeno chile and Louisiana hot pepper sauce, went over the top of the sliced fish. A nice touch was creating a garnish from the papery outer skin of the tomatillo that is usually discarded. The tomatillo skin formed a little cup that held a green onion brush.

Cox won the most praise for his corn bisque with venison sausage, a wonderful, thick soup that he pepped up with a heady dash of black pepper rather than chile. Cox smoked the corn kernels and grilled the sausage over a corncob fire. To accent the game flavor, he added concentrated duck stock.

Next came New Braunfels quail smoked over corncobs. Delicate, juicy and perfect by itself, the quail had trouble rising above two strong accompaniments. They were chewy, vinegar-tasting, deep-fried cactus and pale papaya sticks in a honey sweetened citrus dressing.

From that dish, diners moved on to rabbit in a sauce composed of rabbit stock, wine, cream and Creole mustard. Chile sneaked into this dish in the form of jalapeno relish added to the plate along with a finger banana.

Custard Sauce With Tamarind

Tamarind added tartness and its own unique flavor to the custard sauce spooned over the dessert, individual sweet potato and pecan souffles. The souffles and the quail were the only dishes that escaped the addition of spicy seasoning. Even the breads had their dash of fire. The corn muffins that accompanied the red snapper included bits of jalapeno chile, and the puff pastry twists that went with the soup were sprinkled with chili powder along with paprika and Parmesan cheese.

California wines accompanied Cox’s menu, but a Texan wine, a Sauvignon Blanc from Fall Creek Vineyards near Tow in Llano County, was served as an aperitif.

While their ideas may seem novel, Southwestern chefs find some of their inspiration in a source they share with most amateurs--cookbooks. A book was the source of Cox’s muffins. And Lawrence P. Forgione, chef-proprietor of An American Place in New York City, developed his barbecue “mop” from a recipe in a Texas cookbook.

Forgione was invited to the festival in honor of his efforts to promote American cuisine. Saying he has been “inspired by a number of Southwest influences,” Forgione demonstrated a dish of cornmeal pancakes layered with pork that resembled a stacked enchilada in appearance and a tamale pie in flavor. Forgione marinated the pork in the mop and suggested accompanying the dish with a sauce composed of the mop, pork stock and fresh green chile salsa. The recipe was adapted from his restaurant, where it is made with wild duck instead of pork.

In the introduction to her book, “A Taste of Texas,” published in 1949, Jane Trahey wrote: “Typical Texan cooking is a political-social-gastronomic hodgepodge of Spanish, French, Indian, Mexican flavors.” That composition has changed with the recent immigration to Texas of Southeast Asians headed by a large settlement of Vietnamese in Houston.

The Four Seasons Hotel, Houston Center, where the festival took place, has a Vietnamese pastry chef and garde manger. Lluis Caner, the executive chef, is a Spaniard who previously worked in New Orleans. One of Caner’s dishes, timbales of veal with peanut sauce, seemed to blend three worlds. Its peanut sauce, lightly flavored with turmeric, showed the influence of Asia; its oyster-eggplant stuffing brought to mind New Orleans, and the chili powder in the sauce was strictly Tex-Mex. Adding another cross-cultural note, the stuffing was made with Japanese bread crumbs.

If less is more, Steven Pyles triumphed with one of the simplest and most logical dishes presented at the festival. Pyles’ flourless chocolate cake was perfectly accented with a custard sauce that in turn was perfectly accented by custard-colored pureed cherimoya.

Said Pyles: “One thing that is really important in Southwest cuisine: The flavors are so complex that the less you do to them, the better the product is going to be.”

BLACK BEAN TERRINE WITH GOAT CHEESE

(Robert Del Grande)

3/4 pound dried black beans

1 large clove garlic

Few sprigs epazote

1/2 pound pork fatback

2 ounces (2 slices) bacon

1 3/4 pounds chorizo, casings removed

1 dried ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and chopped

3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 log goat cheese

Salsa

Cilantro leaves

Wash beans well. Place in Dutch oven and cover generously with water. Add garlic and epazote. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender. Add water as needed to keep beans covered. When done, there should be just enough water to keep beans moist. Remove any excess liquid. Allow beans to cool in liquid. Puree 3/4 of beans in food processor until very smooth. Combine puree with remaining whole beans.

Finely grind fatback and bacon in meat grinder. Saute fatback, bacon, 3/4 pound chorizo and ancho chile over medium heat until fat is rendered and meat is lightly caramelized. Strain off fat, leaving about 1/2 cup in which to fry beans. Add beans and blend with fat mixture. Cook over medium heat until beans are very thick and pull away from sides of pan. Add hot pepper sauce and salt. Remove from heat and cool.

Spoon bean mixture into 9x5-inch loaf pan until pan is 3/4 full. Press goat cheese log into center. Cover with remaining bean mixture. Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Just before serving, saute remaining chorizo over high heat until browned. Place pan with bean mixture briefly in hot water. Run knife around edges and invert to unmold. Cut pate into 1/2-inch slices. Saute each slice quickly over high heat in lightly oiled skillet, turning carefully with pancake turner. Place slice in center of dinner-size plate. Garnish with Salsa, fried chorizo and cilantro leaves. Makes about 16 slices.

Salsa

4 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 bunches cilantro, chopped

2 serrano chiles, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Salt, pepper

Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro and chiles in bowl. Add lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

MUSSEL SOUP WITH CILANTRO AND SERRANO CHILES

(Robert Del Grande)

40 black mussels or 16 green mussels, cleaned

1 cup white wine

1 cup fish stock

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 to 3/4 cup Cilantro Puree

Cilantro leaves

Place mussels in large deep skillet. Add white wine and fish stock. Cover and bring to boil. Steam mussels until shells open. Remove mussels from pan. Remove and discard shells. If using large green mussels, cut into smaller pieces. Add cream to liquids in pan and boil until slightly thickened. Add Cilantro Puree and mussels to pan and stir to blend. Bring to boil for a few seconds. Divide mixture among 4 soup plates. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve at once. Makes 4 servings.

Cilantro Puree

2 to 2 1/2 bunches cilantro

1 bunch parsley

1/4 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 to 2 serrano chiles, stemmed

1/2 to 1 cup fish stock

Place cilantro, parsley, onion, garlic and chiles in blender. Blend to thick puree, adding just enough fish stock to facilitate blending but not to make liquid puree.

SAUSAGE CORN BISQUE

(Mark Cox)

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1/3 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup finely diced leek

3 tablespoons clarifed butter

3/4 cup diced peeled baking potato

1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

10 tablespoons reduced duck stock, optional 1 tablespoon flour

1/2 pound venison sausage or Louisiana andouille sausage

1/2 cup cooked corn kernels

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Dash hot pepper sauce

1/4 cup minced green onions

Saute onion, celery and leek in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Add potato, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme and bay leaf and stir. Add chicken stock and duck stock, if used. Simmer 15 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in skillet. Stir in flour and cook until lightly browned. Whip flour mixture into soup.

Grill or broil sausage until cooked, then peel and cut into medium dice. Add sausage, corn, cream, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce to soup. Taste to test for seasonings. Stir in green onions and heat to serving temperature. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Cox suggests andouille sausage as alternative to venison sausage, which is not available commercially in California.

RED SNAPPER GRAVLAX

(Mark Cox)

1 1/3 pounds red snapper fillets

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons Seafood Seasoning

Marinade

Tomatillo Relish

Leaves from 4 tomatillos

4 small green onion brushes

1 tablespoon chopped epazote

Rub fillets on both sides with butter and sprinkle with Seafood Seasoning. Place under broiler and broil until almost done, turning once. Cool. Place Marinade in baking dish large enough to hold fish in single layer. Place fish in Marinade and spoon mixture over. Cover and refrigerate 12 hours.

When ready to serve, remove fish from marinade and wipe off excess liquid. Cut diagonally in very thin slices. Arrange slices on platter. Spoon Tomatillo Relish over fish, then sprinkle with epazote. Garnish platter with 4 cups formed from tomatillo leaves. Place 1 onion brush in each cup. Makes 6 to 8 appetizer servings.

Seafood Seasoning

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons granulated garlic or garlic powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon oregano

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons paprika

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar

Combine salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne, thyme, oregano, paprika and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Store in tightly sealed glass jar. Makes 3/4 cup.

Marinade

1/4 cup coarse salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons dried dillweed

Dash crushed white peppercorns

Dash crushed coriander seeds

Dash crushed juniper berries

Dash crushed mustard seeds

1 tablespoon epazote, minced

10 tablespoons apple juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup lime juice

Combine salt, sugar, dill, peppercorns, coriander, juniper berries, mustard seeds, epazote, apple, orange, lemon and lime juices. Stir until thoroughly blended.

Tomatillo Relish

1/3 cup finely diced tomatillo

1/3 cup finely diced tomato

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced

1 1/2 tablespoons finely diced pimiento

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 cup corn oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

Dash sugar

Dash hot pepper sauce

Salt

Crushed black peppercorns

Prepare relish 2 days before using. Combine tomatillo, tomato, green onions, chile, pimiento and garlic. Add oil, vinegar, sugar and hot pepper sauce. Season to taste with salt and crushed pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Store in refrigerator.

CORNMEAL PANCAKES AND PORK

(Lawrence P. Forgione)

2 1/2 pounds pork butt

Barbecue Mop

1/2 cup finely diced sweet red pepper

1/2 cup finely diced green pepper

Corn kernels cut from 3 ears corn

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1/4 teaspoon garlic puree

1/4 cup chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal

1/2 cup Cornmeal Pancake batter

Butter

4 Cornmeal Pancakes

Sauce

Cut pork butt into 1-inch-thick steaks. Place steaks in shallow flat baking dish. Cover with Barbecue Mop and marinate in refrigerator several hours or overnight. Remove steaks from marinade. Sear over hot coals evenly on each side, basting continuously with mop. Remove steaks to cooler side of grill and cook slowly about 30 minutes on each side, basting continually with mop. Meat should be tender and moist. Remove to platter and allow to cool. When pork is cooled, dice finely and place in bowl. (Meat may also be seared and cooked under broiler. Do not overcook or allow meat to burn.)

In lightly oiled skillet, saute red and green peppers, corn, onion and garlic until tender, tossing gently to prevent browning. Add chili powder, salt and cayenne. Stir until chili powder is cooked. Stir in 1/4 cup Barbecue Mop. Pour mixture over diced pork and stir to blend meat and vegetables evenly. Stir in cornmeal and Cornmeal Pancake Batter.

To assemble, butter 8-inch round cake pan lightly but evenly. Cut 8-inch circle parchment paper and place in bottom of pan. Place 1 Cornmeal Pancake on top of parchment. Spread pork mixture over pancake in even layer 1/2 inch thick. Place another pancake on top of pork layer. Add another 1/2-inch-thick layer pork mixture. Add third pancake and third layer pork, then top with remaining pancake. Cover top with another circle parchment paper. Cover pan with double layer of foil, crimping edges around pan. Place in larger pan. Add hot water to come halfway up sides. Bake at 350 degrees 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove pork cake from oven and hot water bath and let cool 15 minutes. Remove foil and parchment paper. Run thin-bladed knife around edge to free sides. Invert onto cake plate. Peel off parchment paper. Cut into wedges and serve with Sauce. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Barbecue Mop

2 2/3 cups dark stock, preferably pork stock

1 (12-ounce) can beer

2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup oil

1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 bay leaves

Combine stock, beer, Worcestershire, vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, chili powder, garlic and bay leaves. Mix well.

Note: If pork stock is not available, beef stock may be substituted.

Cornmeal Pancakes

1 cup flour

1 cup stone-ground cornmeal

Salt, pepper

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 cups milk

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Clarified butter or oil

Mix flour, cornmeal and dash each of salt and pepper in medium bowl. Add eggs and egg yolks and mix to form paste. Add milk gradually, whisking until mixture is smooth. Heat butter in saucepan until foaming and nut-colored. Do not allow to burn. Pour into batter and mix well. Add parsley. Let batter rest 30 minutes to 2 hours before using.

Use crepe pan with 8-inch bottom diameter. Brush pan lightly with clarified butter or oil. Add just enough batter to thinly coat bottom of pan. Cook crepe about 1 minute or until lightly browned on bottom. Turn over and cook other side a few seconds. Repeat to make 4 crepes. Set aside 1/2 cup batter to mix with meat. Reserve remaining batter for another use.

Sauce

1 cup pork stock

1/2 cup Barbecue Mop

1 cup fresh green chile salsa

Combine pork stock and Barbecue Mop in saucepan. Bring to boil and boil 2 minutes. Cool. Stir in chile salsa. Makes 2 1/3 cups.

TIMBALE OF VEAL WITH OYSTER DRESSING

(Lluis Caner)

Butter

24 (1-ounce) slices veal tenderloin

Oyster and Eggplant Dressing

Peanut Sauce

Butter bottom of 8 (6-ounce) baking dishes. Line each baking dish with 3 veal slices. Place rounded 1/3 cup oyster dressing in center. Bake at 375 degrees 18 minutes. Unmold. Pour Peanut Sauce over each. Makes 8 servings.

Oyster and Eggplant Dressing

3/4 pound eggplant

Oil

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter

3/4 cup oysters

1/2 cup oyster liquid

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped shallots

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Dash oregano

Dash thyme

Dash chopped garlic

1 small bay leaf

Dash cayenne pepper

Salt, pepper

2 cups panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)

Peel eggplant, slice and fry in oil until tender. Drain and dice. Melt butter in medium skillet. Add oysters, oyster liquid, shallots, parsley, wine, sugar, oregano, thyme, garlic, bay leaf and cayenne. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until oysters are firm. Remove oysters and dice. Boil until liquid is reduced to 2/3 original volume. Add bread crumnbs slowly to absorb liquid. Add eggplant and oysters. Mix well. Taste to check seasonings. Makes 3 cups.

Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup butter

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/3 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 cup finely ground roasted peanuts

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon tomato puree

3 cups chicken consomme, boiled until reduced to 2 cups

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Salt, pepper

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, blended with 1 teaspoon cold water

Saute red pepper and onion in butter until golden. Add garlic, chili powder, turmeric and ground peanuts and saute 2 minutes. Add lime juice and wine and boil until mixture is almost dry. Add tomato puree and chicken consomme and simmer l5 to 20 minutes. Strain sauce. Stir in peanut butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cornstarch mixture and cook and stir until sauce is lightly thickened. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

SWEET POTATO-PECAN SOUFFLE WITH TAMARIND SAUCE

(Mark Cox)

3/4 pound sweet potatoes, peeled

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Butter

4 eggs, separated

4 egg whites

1/4 cup dark rum

1/4 pound pecans, roasted

Powdered sugar

Tamarind Sauce

Cut potatoes in large dice. Place in saucepan. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, 2 tablespoons sugar and enough water to half cover potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender. Drain. Place potatoes on baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees 10 to 12 minutes to dry potatoes. Coat 12 (6-ounce) individual souffle dishes with butter and dust with sugar. Set aside.

Place 8 egg whites in bowl and beat to soft peaks. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Beat sweet potatoes with egg yolks. Add rum and pecans. Stir small amount of egg whites into potato mixture, then fold potato mixture into remaining egg whites. Turn mixture into prepared souffle dishes. Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes. Remove from oven, dust with powdered sugar and serve at once. Pass Tamarind Sauce to spoon over each souffle. Makes 12 servings.

Tamarind Sauce

8 tamarind pods

Sugar

3 egg yolks

1 cup whipping cream, scalded

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dash nutmeg

Remove shells from tamarind pods and clean pulp. Place pulp and seeds in water to cover. Add dash sugar. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender. Drain tamarind and remove pulp from seeds. Beat 1/4 cup sugar and egg yolks in top of double boiler. Add cream and beat with whisk. Place over simmering water and stir until mixture coats spoon. Add vanilla, nutmeg and tamarind pulp. Turn into food processor and blend until smooth. Use at once or chill.

CHOCOLATE-PECAN CAKE WITH CHERIMOYA CUSTARD SAUCE

(Steven Pyles)

Butter

Flour

1 cup whipping cream

10 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

5 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup roasted pecans, chopped

Cherimoya Custard Sauce

Line bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with circle of parchment or wax paper. Butter and flour pan and paper. Set aside. In medium saucepan, bring cream and 1/4 cup butter to boil. Remove from heat. Add semisweet and unsweetened chocolate and stir to blend. Cover pan and let stand until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Stir to blend completely. Set aside.

Place eggs, sugar and vanilla in mixing bowl. Set over pan of simmering water and whip mixture until warm to finger, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Turn into bowl of electric mixer and beat until tripled in volume, 7 to 10 minutes. Whisk 1/4 of egg mixture into chocolate and incorporate completely. Add pecans. Gently fold in remaining egg mixture just until blended.

Pour chocolate mixture into prepared pan and place in slightly larger pan. Pour boiling water into larger pan until it comes halfway up side of cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 50 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Remove from oven. Let cake pan stand in pan of water 30 minutes. When cool, invert on platter and remove parchment or wax paper. Serve at room temperature with Cherimoya Custard Sauce. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Cherimoya Custard Sauce

3 very ripe cherimoyas

1 cup milk

1/2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1/3 cup whipping cream or creme fraiche

Peel cherimoyas and press through sieve to remove seeds. Place pulp in food processor or blender and process 1 minute. Put pulp through fine sieve. Scald milk with vanilla bean. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk sugar with egg yolks until mixture lightens and forms ribbon when dropped from whisk. Strain milk mixture through sieve into egg yolk mixture. Return to cleaned saucepan and cook gently over medium heat until thickened enough to coat spoon. Do not allow to boil or mixture will curdle. Immediately add cream. Chill thoroughly. When cold, whisk in cherimoya puree.