There's bound to be a happy medium between eating to live and living to eat. We continue our quest for that medium in our monthly food segment, called simply Savor.
Food stylist William Smith provides a theme, a guest, and a recipe in each outing. This month we visit with Michael Donovan, long a fixture in the restaurant and wine scene, to talk about the recently assembled Ashland Culinary Alliance and its website, Ashland on a Plate.
Will takes us straight to the dessert table with a recipe for Pavlova, a light meringue-centric concoction:
Recipe Blackberry Pavlova
- 6 large egg whites at room temp
- 1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
Makes 6 meringue bottoms
- Fresh fruit topping of your choice, approximately 3 Cups.
- Serve with lemon curd, whipped cream, mint.
Preheat oven 180-200 F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat on high until shiny and stiff peaks form. Quickly fold in corn starch and vanilla, fold until well blended.
Using a spoon, make nests of meringue on parchment approximately 4-5 inches in diameter. Make a dent in center to hold fruit. Conversely you can also use a piping bag with a star or round tip and create a bowl shape.
You can trace the 6 circles directly on parchment to use as a guide.
Bake on middle rack for about an hour, then turn oven off and let meringues thoroughly dry.
Watch them, as a baked meringue should remain white or slightly cream in color….do not brown.
Allow to cool completely, you can fill with whipped cream or lemon curd and top with with fresh fruit or fresh compote.