HERBED MUSHROOM CUSTARDS FOR TWO

On a chilly night (Spring, where are you?!) I love something creamy and delicious to warm me from the inside out. I recently came across a mushroom custard recipe that sounded like it just might fill the bill for a winter evening, but it served 8.  I reduced the amounts, added some ingredients, and we had it as a side dish for dinner. Delicious!  It's also incredibly easy and can be made ahead making it the perfect "wow" recipe for a dinner party in addition to a special side dish for a romantic dinner for two.  Don't tell anyone how easy this is!

Herbed Mushroom Custards for Two

1 T. butter

1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as

 button, crimini and shitake, trimmed and sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 large egg

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1/4 tsp. instant minced onion

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally until mushrooms begin to brown; cool slightly. In medium bowl, whisk together cream, egg, parsley, pinch salt and a few twists of freshly ground pepper. Stir in mushrooms, and divide between two 6 oz. ramekins. Line a 9" x 9" square pan with a dish towel; place ramekins on towel. Transfer to oven and pour enough boiling water in pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set, about 30 minutes. Carefully remove ramekins from water.

On Safari

Tablescape Thursday is hosted by Susan from Between Naps on the Porch.

This great pair of salt and pepper shakers have the raised words "Trader Vic's" on the back. I love them and thought they went very well with this particular theme.

 People often ask me where I get the ideas for designing tables.  Most of the time an entire table will spring from just one item.  Such was the case here when my father passed along this "Big Game Hunter" decanter to me after years of ownership.  My mother made it in a ceramics class that she took back in the 70's, I later learned.  I had no idea where to put it, so it sat on the dining room table for more than a week while I contemplated.  Then I needed to move it in order to set the table for company and a light turned on. I had a theme!  So I built the centerpiece around him.

The table covering is a piece of safari print fabric.  I love fabrics of all kinds, so if I like something will buy 3 yards of it.  That will usually get me a table cover and set of napkins.

If you saw last week's tablescape you'll recognize the flatware and goblets.  I told you they were versatile!  The wine glasses didn't photograph well, but each stem is a pewter jungle animal.

The palm tree candle holders I pulled from another room.  They looks perfect in this setting.  The African masks are actually bookends.

I had to add this little bowl of chili-spiced almond so that I literally served everything from soup to nuts.

It was mom to the rescue again with the napkins.  She made these from a remnant of black fabric that she just happened to have on hand.

I like to hide things in the centerpiece of the table so there's always something for the diners to discover. This wonderful carved and hand-painted stone egg was tucked into a small basket.



Hope you enjoyed viewing my safari-themed table!