Grocery stores are so yesterday. Farmers markets? Zzzz. What’s hip now: Finding your supper in the great outdoors. Food writer Hank Shaw’s new book, “Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast” (Rodale) explains how to make homemade root beer (starting with digging up sassafrass roots) and how to cook a pheasant (including tips on hunting, hanging and plucking).
Rose Petal Ice Cream
Recipe from “Hunt, Gather, Cook,” by Hank Shaw, who writes, “You must trim the white end off each rose petal where it attaches to the central flower. This is bitter, and it will ruin your ice cream.” Makes about 1 quart.
Ingredients
2 cups cream
2 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup trimmed rose petals, loosely packed
1 piece (1-inch) vanilla bean, scraped
4-5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon rose-flower water
Directions
Heat the cream, milk and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot to 170 degrees, or to the point at which it steams but does not simmer. Turn off the heat, add the rose petals, the vanilla bean and the scraped insides of the bean. Stir well, cover, and let cool for 1 hour.
Move the mixture to a container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
Strain the mixture to remove the vanilla bean and the rose petals. Heat the mixture to 160 degrees. As it is heating, beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl to combine. When the cream has hit its temperature, you will need to temper the eggs so they don’t scramble when added to the pot. Hold a ladle in one hand and a whisk in the other. Ladle a little hot cream into the bowl while whisking the eggs vigorously. Whisk in 2 full ladels, then pour the egg-cream mixture into the pot and stir well. Cook gently, stirring, for 5 minutes. Do not let it simmer.
Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add the rose-flower water. Strain the mixture one more time before putting it into an ice cream maker. Churn it until it has the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, then remove to a large bowl. Freeze and eat!
