Jambalaya Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, in all
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 5 large eggs
• 2 cups leftover jambalaya
• 6 slices white bread, with crusts, torn into 2" pieces
• Salt and pepper
• *2 whole quails roasted
• *1 cup herb shallot sauce, recipe follows (brown stock based)
• *1/4 cup finely sliced green onions

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 6 cup muffin tin, (the largest muffin tins available is what we need) with 2 teaspoons of butter. In a large bowl whisk together the half and half, cream, and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Add the jambalaya. Fold in the bread and season with the salt and pepper. Pour into the prepared pans and dot the tops with the remaining butter. Place the tin in a water bath. Bake until golden and puffy, for about 40 minutes. Unmold the muffin pan. Place one muffin inverted onto the plate, place the 2 whole roasted quails right on top and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with the green onions.

HERB SHALLOT SAUCE:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup shallots, minced
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives or parsley

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened. Add stock and thyme and simmer 15 minutes. In a bowl combine 1 tablespoon arrowroot with 2 tablespoons cold water. Add arrowroot mixture to stock in a slow steady stream, and simmer until thickened. Strain sauce and stir in chives or parsley.

Yield: 6 servings