Basil Popovers

Yield: 6 popovers

Garlic Chive Butter:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic chives
pinch of salt

Popovers:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 ¼ cups milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh garlic chives (stems only)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Equipment Needed:

An electric hand mixer; a 6-cup popover pan; butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

To prepare the garlic chive butter, combine the butter, garlic chives and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Chill, covered, until serving time. Make ahead so that the flavors can meld.

To prepare the popovers, mix the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Beat the eggs with the milk in a mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer until light and frothy. Add 1 tablespoon melted butter and beat at low speed until well mixed. Add to the flour mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until the batter is the consistency of heavy cream. Add the basil and garlic chives and mix gently by hand. (The batter may be made in advance up to this point and chilled in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before baking.)

Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray the popover cups with butter-flavor nonstick cooking spray. Heat the popover pan in the oven for 2 minutes. Cut 2 tablespoons butter into 6 equal pieces. Place 1 butter piece in each preheated popover cup. Return the pan to the oven and heat for 1 minute or until the butter is bubbly. Fill each cup one-half full with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes longer. Serve immediately with the garlic chive butter.

Note:

There are three rules to making good popovers: ingredients should be at room temperature; fill cups no more than one-half full; and do not open the oven door. When garlic chives are in season, their blossoms make a lovely garnish. The popovers are best served immediately but can be held in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Turn off the oven. Pierce the side of each popover to allow the steam to escape and set back in the pan. Let the oven cool for 5 minutes and return the pan to the oven.

Variation for the garlic chive butter: Instead of garlic chives, try 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil leaves with a few drops of garlic juice.

From “Basil Popovers with Garlic Chive Butter”, Herbal Cookery From the Kitchens and Gardens of the St. Louis Herb Society, The St. Louis Herb Society, 2009, page 56.
This recipe was featured in the July 2024 issue of the Society’s newsletter The Thymes.
To obtain a copy of this recipe click on Basil Popover

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