Preparing for Pumpkin Carving Party with Crusty Onion Popovers

I was looking for a recipe in the bread sections of some cookbooks when the words “Crusty Onion Popovers” caught my eye. My daughter likes onion and when I find a recipe featuring them, I might have a go, and so I did. The recipe included onion salt, which I omitted, and I substituted a tablespoon of oil for the margarine because I don’t use it in my kitchen.

Mark invited the hood to come over and carve pumpkins in the yard on Saturday afternoon, and I was thinking about a snack. Even the kids would like these because they couldn’t find the onion in them and I would announce them as merely savory popovers. I liked them hot out of the oven yesterday and then today I liked the collapsed, refrigerated, reheated version. I didn’t put sriracha or ketchup on my plate, but some might do so.

The Golfers in Mississippi who submitted this recipe* must have some big popover tins as they claim the recipe makes six. Oil six baking cups. That’s what it says. My proper popover tin, the cast iron one, makes 12, so I oiled an aluminum muffin tin for 6 instead. (Paper cupcake holders don’t work with popovers.) I’d already filled three of them two-thirds full when I knew that I had to get out another tin. So, there’s the warning. It makes a dozen. Use your cast iron or use your good non-stick tins. Otherwise you spend more time cleaning out the bits of popover which stick to the aluminum tins than enjoying the savory treats. Recipe says serves 6. It made 11, could have made 12. Grating the onion is the hardest part. Tears fall, but worth it.

*from Page 52, FORE – The Golfer’s International Cookbook by Palmer W. Roberts, 1978. Western Specialty Publications, Inc. (San Diego, CA)

Crusty Onion Popovers: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 6-12 baking cups with oil. Beat 3 eggs well in separate dish. Grate 1/4 c. onion. In bowl, combine 1 c. milk, 1/2 t. salt, 1 T. melted margarine and the beaten eggs. Add 1 c. flour and 1/2 t. onion salt. Beat til smooth. Add the grated onion. Fill oiled baking cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees. (RECIPE says for 50 min. Mine in regular-sized tins took 25 min. When they’re done, they look crispy and crusty, and puffy because they’re hollow.)