Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

Doing a little research on one of my favorite appetizers, the jalapeño popper, I discovered that some form of deep-fried cheese-stuffed jalapeño has been around since at least the 1960s, where it was being served in restaurants in Baja California, specifically Ensenada, which Wikipedia informs me is nicknamed La Cenicienta del Pacífico or Cinderella of the Pacific.  With no further information on that, by the way.

Is it because Ensenada is the pretty stepsister that everyone abuses?  Does it have sister cities that get better press despite their ugliness?  A little further reading revealed that Ensenada does indeed have sister cities: Newport Beach, Redondo Beach and Riverside.  Each pretty and amazing in its own right.  So, no wiser about the nickname, let’s just get on to the recipe.  (And this is why your teachers tell you not to use Wikipedia as a reference, people: Gaps.)

This week Sunday Supper turns one year old!  In celebration of that momentous occasion, we have each chosen a recipe from another #SundaySupper blogger that caught our fancy during the past year, to give it a try.  Our Dubai weather has turned a bit chilly in the last couple of days (Yeah, I know, not actually chilly when compared to northern climes but BBC Weather is projecting a low of 45°F or 7°C on Wednesday night!  That’s COLD for us, folks!) so I chose to adapt a wonderfully warming recipe from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks, based on the aforementioned favorite, jalapeño poppers.

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

I left in the seeds and membranes from the peppers so that upped the warmth factor quite a bit but you can totally take them out if you can't do spicy. This chili gets a 10 out of 10 at our house and I will definitely be making it again. Perhaps even for Super Bowl Sunday. I’m kind of even thinking it could be eaten as a hot dip with tortilla chips.  It’s that seriously good.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 small onion
1 red bell pepper
4 fresh jalapeño peppers
4 garlic cloves
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 1/4 lb or 600g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 (15 oz or 425g) can diced or chopped tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups or 355ml chicken broth
2 cans (14 oz or 400g each) cannellini beans
2 cups or 300g frozen corn
8 oz or 225g cream cheese
5 slices bacon
1/2 cup or 50g sharp cheddar cheese
Handful green onion tops, optional for garnish



Method
Cut the stem end off of your jalapeños.  If you want to remove the seeds and membranes, to lessen the spicy factor, cut the peppers in half lengthwise and scrape them out with a teaspoon.

Cut your onion into halves.  Cut the tops off of the red bell pepper or capsicum Remove the seeds and membrane.  Cut it into quarters.

Pop all three into your food processor along with the cloves of garlic or chop them all with a sharp knife, until they are finely minced.

In a pot large enough to eventually hold all of your ingredients, sauté the vegetable mixture in a good drizzle of olive oil for about five to seven minutes, or until they are soft and the onion is translucent.

Cut your chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season them lightly with salt and black pepper.

Drain and rinse your cans of cannellini beans.

Push the vegetables to the side of the pot and add in the pieces of chicken.  Lightly brown the chicken on all sides.

Add in the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika.  Stir to thoroughly coat the chicken with the spices and vegetables.

Add the can of chopped tomatoes, rinsed beans and corn to the chicken pot.  Stir well and then add the chicken stock.  When it starts bubbling again, lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, grate your sharp cheddar cheese and fry your bacon until crispy.  Cut the bacon into little pieces.   Chop your onion tops, if using.

Cut your cream cheese in slices if it comes in one big block.  Smaller pieces will melt faster into the chili.  As you can see from my photo, our cream cheese, brand name: Kiri, comes in small blocks so, while it was a process to open up enough little packets, the cutting was not necessary.

Add in the cream cheese and stir until it is completely melted, about five minutes.  Remove from heat.

Ladle the chili into a bowl and top with crumbled bacon and cheese, adding a sprinkle of chopped onion tops for color, if desired.

Enjoy!

Have a look at some of the other Happy Birthday, #SundaySupper dishes that are being posted today! So much deliciousness!

Sunday Supper Appetizers:

• Hot Spinach Parmesan Dip by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks inspired by Comfy Cuisine
• Pepperoni and Mozzarella Pull Apart by Noshing With The Nolands inspired by In the Kitchen with KP
• So Simple Pizza Puffs by The Weekend Gourmet inspired by Hip Foodie Mom

Sunday Supper Soups and Breads:

• Chicken Noodle Soup by Big Bears Wife inspired by My Catholic Kitchen
• Chicken Soup with Dumplings by Comfy Cuisine inspired by The Messy Baker
• Coconut Curry Chicken Soup by My Trials in the Kitchen inspired by Damn Delicious
• Easy Italian Wedding Soup by Webicurean inspired by Family Foodie
• Honey Butter Dinner Rolls by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts inspired by Chocolate Moosey
• Lasagna Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen inspired by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage Soup by Damn Delicious inspired by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Tomato Florentine Soup by Mama Mommy Mom inspired by The Meltaways

Sunday Supper Main Dishes: 

• (GlutenFree) Chicken Bruschetta by The Meltaways inspired by Family Foodie
• Bigos by Maroc Mama inspired by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Carnitas Pizza w/ Chipotle-Avocado Crema by girlichef inspired by Damn Delicious
• Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas by Country Girl in the Village  inspired by Webicurean
• Chicken Burger with Curried Cabbage Slaw by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings inspired by Soni’s Food
• Corn and Basil Handpies by Curious Cuisiniere inspired by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce by From Fast Food to Fresh Food inspired by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends
• Dorie’s Chicken-in-the-Pot by Hip Foodie Mom inspired by Gotta Get Baked
• Drunken Meatballs by Small Wallet Big Appetite inspired by The Foodie Army Wife
• Feijoada Portuguese Bean Stew by Kimchi Mom inspired by Family Foodie
• Fish Tacos by Cookistry inspired by Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Goat Cheese Rigatoni Alfredo by Magnolia Days inspired by Family Foodie
• Hoisin Asian Meatballs by Gotta Get Baked inspired by Damn Delicious
• Homemade Harissa by Masala Herb inspired by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili by Food Lust People Love inspired by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lentils and Chorizo Stew by Galactosemia in PDX inspired by Vintage Kitchen
• Lightened Up Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken by Cupcakes and Kale Chips inspired by The Meltaways
• Mac n Cheese Cups with Pork Shoulder Ragu by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends inspired by Hip Foodie Mom
• New Orleans Style White Beans & Rice by Catholic Foodie inspired by The Hand that Rocks the Ladle
• Pork Loin with Port Shallot Sauce by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen inspired by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Portuguese Mussels and Shrimp in Chorizo Sauce by Supper for a Steal inspired by Family Foodie
• Pulled Pickled Pork by Juanita’s Cocina inspired by Daily Dish Recipes
• Shrimp-Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes by Daily Dish Recipes inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Soy, Orange Juice and Red Wine Marinade by Peanut Butter and Peppers inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Spice Rubbed Chicken Tacos with Tropical Salsa by The Urban Mrs. inspired by Family Foodie
• Spicy Seoulful Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Family Foodie inspired by Kimchi Mom
• Sweet & Tender Brisket by Daddy Knows Less inspired by Juanita’s Cocina

Sunday Supper Veggies: 

• Carrots au Gratin by Shockingly Delicious inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Skillet Spinach Corn with Edamame, Cilantro & Bacon Bits by The Lovely Pantry inspired by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks: 

• Angel Cake Sandwiches by Ninja Baker inspired by That Skinny Girl Can Bake 
• Apple Pull Apart Bread with Caramel Drizzle by Cravings of a Lunatic inspired by Gotta Get Baked
• Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies by Mom’s Test Kitchen inspired by Dinner Dishes and Desserts
• Caramel Apple Bread by The Foodie Army Wife inspired by Fam Friends Food
• Cheesecake with Fresh Berries by An Appealing Plan inspired by The Messy Baker Blog
• Cherry Tart by Happy Baking Days inspired by Vintage Kitchen
• Chocolate Brownie Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake inspired by Magnolia Days
• Chocolate Chip Cut-out Cookies by Basic and Delicious inspired by Chocolate Moosey
• Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream by The Messy Baker Blog inspired by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas by La Cocina de Leslie inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Mexican Hot Cocoa Sandwich Cookies by Chocolate Moosey inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Nutella Shortbread Bars by Kelly Bakes inspired by Baker Street
• Orange Rolls by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pumpkin Donut Puffs by Soni’s Food inspired by Daily Dish Recipes
• Rosettes by Simply Gourmet inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Soft Pretzels with Spicy Beer Cheese Sauce by Vintage Kitchen inspired by girlichef 
• Sweet N Spicy Roasted Spiced Nuts by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz inspired by The Foodie Army Wife

Sunday Supper Breakfast Faves:

• Budget Friendly Breakfast Freezable Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwiches by In The Kitchen with KP inspired by Big Bear’s Wife
• Raspberry Hot Chocolate by My Catholic Kitchen inspired by Momma’s Meals
• Spiced Pumpkin Ricotta Oat Muffins by In the Kitchen with Audrey inspired by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Sunday Supper Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Food Blog Love Fest 2013

Photo credit

Sometime back in December, my fellow food blogger and friend, +Jennifer Field, aka PastryChefOnline suggested to a bloggers group we both belong to that we should each post about some of the bloggers that inspire us and the blogs we really love to read.   So I started making a list of my favorites.  I’d like to share some of them with you today.

Eggton – I discovered this blog in late 2011 as I started to become really involved with other food blogs for the first time.  It’s written by the very funny Katherine who left her job as an attorney in the big city of New York to move to Alabama and entertain us by writing hilarious posts about her experiences, accompanied by delicious recipes and adorable photos of her pups.   Here’s her backstory which is also the first post on her blog.  I started reading her back here and spent the next few hours reading all of her posts from the archives.  And then every post since. You should too.  Try not to snort coffe out of your nose.  After all, who hasn't done this with the hotel minibar? 

Movita Beaucoup – This one’s another blog full of humor and good recipes.  Movita Beaucoup aka Rachael Dyer is a ballet teacher recently turned baking school student whose seasonal competitions (Pumpkin carving,  gingerbread house making and birthday cake baking) have become legend.  Because of the rigors of school, her posts don’t come as often as they used to, but I always do a small happy dance when there is a new one in my inbox.  And she has the best one pot, yes: pot, brownie recipe.

Pastrychefonline  - Jenni Field is a former special ed teacher who became a pastry chef, who loves to teach.  And we are her willing pupils!  Because she is awesome like that.  Her Facebook page  is filled with happy postings of home life and kitchen shenanigans that draw friends into her world and the joy of baking and cooking.  One of her specialties is Van Halen pound cake and she often bakes these for fans!  Her website has wonderful recipes as well as explanatory videos that teach solid techniques.  On my to-do list this year:  homemade puff pastry from this video right here. 

Dear Lauren, Love Mom - Each post is written as a letter from mother to daughter and it’s the stories of their lives in food. Many of them are touching and have great family history stories but each post is like a love letter with a good recipe (The best kind of love letter, don’t you think?) and this is the blog I most wish I had thought to write. Who doesn't want to leave her daughters with a legacy of recipes?

The Skint Foodie - A good fun read from a guy who was down and out and managed to pull his socks up.  (N.B. Skint means broke.) I find his story inspiring in so many ways, not the least of which is his ability to create beautiful meals on a very frugal budget.  Some of my favorite posts are the cheese board challenges, where he commits to choosing a cheeseboard, with three cheeses, for under £7.50 (US$12) which include notes from the cheese shop girl.  I always learn so much and have added many To-Try cheeses to my list.  As a single man living alone, he cooks for one and most of his posts are for delicious recipes for one or two.  Perfect for me most of the year but easily doubled if you have a larger family.  If you like the British sense of humor, you are gonna love this guy.  And you cannot help but admire him.

One Man’s Meat - Conor Bofin is a funny, dry Irishman, with a great sense of humor, who is also a great cook. He has a way with words and cooks good wholesome food with a personal flair.   His long-suffering family eats very well.  He’s one of those bloggers that raises the game for commenters.  When the writer is so witty, the commenters feel they need to be too.  Or is that just me?  And if you are a food blogger, you’ll like this one.

The Curvy Carrot - I found this blog while looking for vegetarian dishes for when my daughters were visiting.  Shanon Lacy is a doctor, in fact, a board-certified pathologist to be exact, but except for on her About Me page it doesn’t come up and her recipes are all about being healthy and indulgent.  Sometimes I just sit and browse because her gorgeous photos are so, well, gorgeous. And she made cheese soufflés! 

And one final blog for today.  I have many more on my list so I hope to do the occasional post like this till I get through them!

Back Road Journal - These beautiful recipes and photos come to us from Karen, who lives in a 1730s house in New England with 300 apple trees and a husband who, like her, loves to travel.  The house is a feature in most posts lately, all decorated for Christmas, and, I can’t get enough of it!  It’s not that I want to live in the country, but I would sure love that dream house.  And to travel with her while she takes the back roads and enjoys the often missed good things that the freeway passes by. 

I hope you pay these lovely people a visit and enjoy their blogs as much as I do.  Tell them Stacy sent you.  Some of them won't have a clue, but that's okay. :)

Enjoy!

Follow the links below to see the blogs my fellow bloggers love.  And spread the LOVE!

Lemon Blueberry Muffins #MuffinMonday

Happy Monday, lovely people!  After weeks of excess and over the top muffins, it feels good to get back to simple, yet still delicious.  My daughters left Dubai to return to the US and university over the weekend, so you know I need some cheering up.  And there is hardly anything more cheerful than the smell of freshly zested lemons, am I right?

That’s why they put it in cleaning materials too, by the way.  It is part of the brainwashing program designed by marketing types to convince us that cleaning is fun and uplifting and we should buy more lemon-scented soaps and sprays.  But I tell you no lies:  These muffins are the real thing.  Get some in the oven and you will feel better in no time.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Adapted from this BBC recipe.

Ingredients
For the muffins:
2 cups or 250g flour
1/2 cup or 115g sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 large lemon (for zest and 1/4 cup juice)
2 eggs
3/4 cup or 180ml milk
1/3 cup or 75ml vegetable oil
1 small punnet blueberries (about 125g or 4.4 oz) Reserve 12 for popping on the top of the muffins before baking, if desired.

For the topping:
Powdered or icing sugar to sprinkle, optional

Method
Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C.  Butter your 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Grate in the lemon zest and mix.   Juice your lemon.

In another smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, juice and oil.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until just mixed through.

Fold in all the blueberries, except 12, if saving.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cups in pan.

If you saved berries for the top, now is the time to pop one on the top of each cup.  (They might still sink, but I figured it was worth a shot.)

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Allow them to cool for a few minutes then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sprinkle with a little powdered or icing sugar, if desired, and serve.

Enjoy!

Hot Lemon Curd Soufflés

Fluffy and light, these hot lemon curd soufflés are simple to make and bake, for a fresh dessert the whole family will love!

Time again for a few confessions.  The first one is that I own and use an old lady pullcart.  I got it for Christmas and I couldn’t have been happier.  (See below for evidence!)  And bless my daughters for giving it to me, despite their mortification when I use it!  You know what I’m talking about, right?

It's the kind with wheels that old ladies use to do their shopping in the city when they are on foot. Trundling around ahead of you, in their scratchy cardigans, even in the summer, and impeding your passage when they stop to talk to other old ladies about the weather? That’s me, except I just have the cart, and mine is flowered, not plaid, and I tend to walk at a reasonable clip.

Happy camper on Christmas Day!

After all, and this is the second confession, I use mine to scoot between charity shops, looking for used cookbooks while I am visiting the Channel Island of Jersey.  (Which happens as often as I can get there!)  And if I get to the shops before you, I am going to buy ALL the good cookbooks. Which are very heavy. Which is where the cart comes in. It's a necessity, folks, as well as a fashion accessory. Among the treasures I found on a trip a number of years ago, was the whole How To Cook series, books One – Three, by Delia Smith for only £1 each.  Score!

Which brings me to confession number three: I have a lot of cookbooks. When I get a new one, I go through it, carefully bookmarking all the recipes I want to try first.  The problem is that I often get several new ones at a time, and I don’t get around to making all the things I want to make before yet another new cookbook arrives and the old bookmarks get sadly curly and mashed as the cookbook is put into the shelf and, while not exactly forgotten, it’s no longer on the front burner, so to speak. Can anybody relate?

This week I am delighted to join Sunday Supper, a fabulous group of bloggers dedicated to getting everyone around the family table once more.  The current theme is all about trying something new, something that’s been on your bucket list but that you have yet to tackle.  These Hot Lemon Curd Soufflés were bookmarked at least five years ago so they totally qualify!  And now I am kicking myself for waiting so long.  Because they were delicious. And so easy.

Ingredients
3 large eggs
1 medium lemon
1/4 cup or 50g golden caster sugar
Plus 2 1/2 teaspoons golden caster sugar (White sugar can be substituted for both.)
2/3 cup or 155ml room temperature lemon curd (Store-bought or half of this recipe here http://www.foodlustpeoplelove.com/2013/01/quick-lemon-curd.html – eat the other half with a spoon!)
Butter for greasing your four ramekins

Optional for serving: a sprinkle of powdered or icing sugar

Method
Lightly butter your four ramekins and preheat your oven to 325°F or 170°C.
Separate your eggs and put the whites in a large clean, dry, grease-free bowl.  Put your yolks in a medium-size bowl.

Grate your lemon zest and juice your lemon.  Set aside.  You will need two tablespoons of the juice.  I used a zester for my lemon and the pieces were too big.  You definitely want to use a small grater or Microplane, if you have one.

Using either an electric mixer or a balloon whisk, beat the whites until stiff peaks form.  You’ll get much stiffer peaks with an electric mixer but mine is out of commission right now.  I was surprised by how quickly I was able to get stiff peaks with just a balloon whisk so if that’s all you have, don’t be discouraged.

Now add the 2 1/2 teaspoons of sugar to the whites and beat again.

To the yolk bowl, add the grated lemon zest and two tablespoons of juice, along with the remaining sugar and mix them together thoroughly.

See that zest?  Way too big. Another reminder to use a grater. 

Fold a good spoonful of the fluffy whites into the yolk mixture to loosen it.

Add the yolk mixture to the whites and gently, very gently, fold it in so that as much air and fluffiness as possible remains.

Divide your lemon curd between the buttered ramekins.

Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet or baking pan.  Spoon the mixture on top of the lemon curd and run your finger around the inside edge of each to clean it a little, if necessary.

Bake in your preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops are golden.  Allow the hot curd to cool for a few minutes, then sprinkle with a little powdered sugar, if desired.  Place the whole hot ramekin on a small saucer to serve.

These will sink a little bit as time goes on but will still taste delicious and light, if not served immediately.

Enjoy!


Sunday Supper Specialty Breads:

• Alton Brown’s Soft Pretzels by Hezzi-D’s Book and Cooks
• Belgian Waffles by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Braided Challah by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Brioche by Gotta Get Baked
• Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Gluten-free Bread by Happy Baking Days
• Homemade Bagels with Mimosa Spread by Daily Dish Recipes
• Homemade Tortillas by Supper for a Steal
• Monkey Bread by Vintage Kitchen Notes
  
  

Sunday Supper Main Dishes:

• Bagna Cauda and Potatoes by Shockingly Delicious
• Beef Wellington by Family Foodie
• Braised Short Ribs by The Messy Baker blog
• Butternut Squash Gnocchi by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Chinese Dumplings by My Cute Bride
• Falafel by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• French Onion Soup by The Weekend Gourmet
• Fresh Ravioli with Ricotta by Comfy Cuisine
• Fried Polenta with Spicy Tomato Relish by Mama Mommy Mom
• Gluten Free Ravioli by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Japanese-Style Prosperity Pockets & Goat Cheese En Croute by Ninja Baking
• Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon by Hip Foodie Mom
• Leaping Frog Chicken by The Urban Mrs.
• Lightened Up Slow Cooker Butter Chicken by The Meltaways
• Mushroom Ragout over Creamy Polenta by Noshing with the Nolands
• Ropa Vieja by Magnolia Days
• San Antonio Puffy Tacos by Sustainable Dad
• Savory Spinach-Filled Crepe Cake with Cheddar Sauce by Webicurean
• Stuffed Artichokes by The Roxx Box
• Tah-Dig (Persian Rice) by The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks:

• Chocolate Meringue Cake (gluten free) by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Creamy Lemon Fudge by Chocolate Moosey
• Divinity by Juanita’s Cocina
• Faux Ice Cream with Bananas by Country Girl in the Village
• French Macarons by I Run for Wine
• Gluten-Free Golden Fudge Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Granola Bars with Dried Fruit by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Homemade Seafoam Candy by All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
• Jamaican Blue Drawers by Lovely Pantry
• Mini Classic Key Lime Pies  by In the Kitchen with KP
• Nut and Seed Nougat by What Smells So Good?
• Peanut Sesame Honey Brittle by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Popcorn with truffle oil and Asiago cheese by Ruffles & Truffles
• Pumpkin Mocha Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting and Dulce de Leche Drizzle by Damn Delicious
• Zebra Cake by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Quick Lemon Curd

This photo is a hint for the next recipe to come!

Why is this called curd?  I would like someone out there to tell me, because, by ingredients and method, it should rightly be called something waaaay more attractive, like, say, lemon custard.  Seriously.  Curd?  If you’ve ever spooned delicious, bright, lemony curd straight into your mouth from a pan or even a store-bought jar, I am not talking to you.  You are excused.  But, hey, you out there still reeling from the words lemon and curd together:  Come over here close and repeat after me:  “It is really lemon custard.  Fresh lemon CUSTARD.  And it only takes a few minutes to make.  I will try this!”  Let’s go.


Ingredients (Makes about 1 1/4 cups or 295ml)
2 small lemons
2 large eggs
Heaping 1/3 cup or 80g sugar
1/4 cup or 50g cold, unsalted butter
2 teaspoons cornflour or cornstarch


Method
Grate the zest off of your lemons and ignore the photo of me using my zester.  Even after I chopped the pieces with a big knife, the lemon zest was rather big and there were hurtful comments about same from my recipe testers.  Sniff.

Juice the lemons and strain out the seeds.

Cut your butter up into cubes and set aside, back in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, whisk together your lemon juice and eggs.

Add in the rest of your ingredients, except the butter.

Still whisking constantly, cook the mixture in a saucepan over a medium heat until it thickens.

Add in the butter and mix thoroughly, simmering for a further minute or two.  Your lemon curd, or custard, is now done!

Spoon it straight into your mouth (let it cool a little, silly) or await further instructions as I have two recipes coming up, starting Sunday, that will use that lovely lemon curd.  I mean, custard.  If you aren’t using it within a couple of hours, cover with cling film and refrigerate.

Enjoy!

This lemon curd can be used in a variety of ways. Here are the links to the recipes I mentioned above:

Hot Lemon Curd Soufflés

Citrus Lust Mini Bundt Cakes with Lemon Curd

Lemon curd recipe originally from Delia Smith's How to Cook Book 1.

~~~

I've entered this lemon curd recipe in Tea Time Treats for January, where the theme is citrus.  The hosts are Karen from Lavender and Lovage and Kate from What Kate Bakes.  If you have a citrusy item to add, just click on Lavender and Lovage or the photo caption below.

Tea Time Treats Link