Photo By Rachael Brugger |
While herb flowers are particularly good in salads and as garnishes, the flowers from the anise hyssop plant have a flavor similar to bubble gum, working particularly well in puddings and custards. Buckwheat pudding is served hot and tastes nutty and bittersweet. If you don’t grow or can’t find anise hyssop, mint and tarragon make delicious substitutes.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat groats
- pinch salt
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 2½ T. honey
- 2½ T. blackstrap molasses
- 10 large anise hyssop leaves
- 2 anise hyssop flower pods
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 2 egg yolks
Preparation
Toast buckwheat groats over medium heat until golden-colored. Add buckwheat, salt and water to saucepan and simmer until buckwheat is fully cooked, approximately 30 minutes. (The texture should be consistent with cooked steel-cut oats.)
Add apricots, honey, molasses, anise hyssop leaves, one flower pod and half-and-half, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Add egg yolks, stirring vigorously to avoid curdling, and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes. The finished texture should resemble porridge. Serve hot, topped with remaining flower pod or dried apricots.
