If you’re looking for a side dish that comes together quickly but leaves a long-lasting impression, you can’t do better than these high-crowned beauties. “I love serving herb popovers for the holidays,” says Tracy Wilk, lead chef and recipe editor for the recreational program at the Institute of Culinary Education in Pasadena. “They are festive, and they have a big ‘wow’ factor, but are super easy!” The institute offers recreational cooking, baking and wine classes for the public, along with programs for cooking professionals.
For home cooks making these popovers, another plus is the chance to improvise with the herbs. “Any herbs will work well!” Wilk says. “Get as creative as you would like. If you don’t have something on hand, feel free to play around.” This can be an excellent way to use up any sprigs you have left over from your other holiday dishes.
To make sure the eggs and milk are at room temperature, measure those first and leave them on the counter while you measure the remaining ingredients. Before you do that, though, get that oven going – with your pan inside. “Getting your pan hot first helps, and making sure your oven is properly preheated is crucial to making sure that your popovers rise correctly,” says Wilk.
Herb Popovers From the Insitute of Culinary Education
Serves 4
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 eggs, room temperature
1½ cups milk, room temperature
Heat oven to 425 degrees. When the oven is warm, lightly oil a popover pan or muffin tray and place it in the oven to warm up. This will help the popovers get a better rise.
While the pan is warming, place the flour, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk together.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until they are frothy, about one minute.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, whisking until the mixture is the consistency of heavy cream. It is OK if the batter has some lumps. Pour the batter into a measuring cup.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Fill each popover or muffin cup with batter, about ¾ of the way to the top.
Bake the popovers for about 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325 degrees and continue to bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm.
