volitional viands

New to my collection: The Fat Duck Cookbook by Heston Blumenthal. Part cookbook, part art, with lusty photography and sinful recipes.

Baked fish with mushrooms

Fish fillets or steaks, cut to ½ to ¾ inch thickness	1 pound
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Mushrooms, fresh, sliced	1 cup
Thyme, fresh	1 tablespoon
Lemon, zest and juice	1
Butter	3 tablespoons
Wine, white	1/3 cup

1. Preheat oven to 450°F; grease an 8x10-inch casserole dish.
2. Arrange fish in dish, turning thin edges under; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Cook mushrooms, thyme, zest, and juice with butter until the mushrooms are tender; spoon over fish.
4. Deglaze pan with wine, and pour over fish.
5. Cover and bake for 6 to 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.

Chocolate cream pie

Chocolate, unsweetened	2 ½ ounces
Milk, whole	2 cups + 1 cup
Sugar	1 1/3 cups
Flour, all-purpose	3 tablespoons
Cornstarch	3 tablespoons
Salt	½ teaspoon
Egg yolks	3
Butter	2 tablespoons
Vanilla extract	1 ½ teaspoons
Pie crust or crumb crust, baked, cooled	1

1. In a large saucepan, cook 2 cups milk and chocolate over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly, until the mixture boils; remove from heat; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup milk and yolks; whisk into sugar mixture.
5. Gradually add to the chocolate mixture.
6. Return saucepan to a medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils; boil and continue whisking for another minute.
7. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla.
8. Pour into prepared crust; press plastic wrap directly onto the surface.
9. Cool, and then refrigerate until well chilled.

Top with whipped cream and dust with cocoa powder, or other favorite (handy) garnish (such as the pictured toasted almonds, used to conceal any rough edges).

Recipe from the Hershey's Recipe Collection.

Chocolate tapioca

Sugar	¾ cup
Cocoa powder	1/3 cup
Tapioca, quick-cooking	3 tablespoons
Salt	1/8 teaspoon
Milk	2 ¾ cups
Egg, slightly beaten	1
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon

1. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, tapioca, and salt; blend in milk and egg.
2. Let stand 5 minutes; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil.
3. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
4. Cool 15 to 20 minutes; stir.
5. Pour into bowl or individual dessert dishes.

Serve warm or cold. If pudding will be served cold, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the warm pudding to prevent a skin from forming; refrigerate.

Recipe from Hershey’s Recipe Collection

Cocoa-nutty bar

Butter, unsalted, softened	¾ cup + ½ cup
Sugar, powdered	¾ cup
Flour, all-purpose	1 cup
Flour, almond	½ cup
Almonds, sliced, toasted	1 ¼ cups
Cocoa powder	½ cup
Milk, sweetened condensed	14 ounces
Coconut, sliced, toasted	½ cup
Water, hot	½ cup
Eggs, well beaten	2
Almond extract	½ teaspoon
Salt	1/8 teaspoon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; grease an 8x10-inch casserole dish.
2. In a large bowl, beat ¾ cup butter and sugar until well combined; sprinkle flours over, and mix until just combined.
3. Press on to bottom of dish, and bake 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over low heat, melt 1/3 cup butter; stir in cocoa.
5. Turn off heat, and stir in remaining ingredients.
6. Pour evenly over baked crust, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center sets.
7. Cool completely on wire rack; chill thoroughly.
8. Cut into bars; store covered in refrigerator.