As I was putting groceries away this week, I realized I didn’t need that carton of cream I had just bought. I began thinking of how I could use this surplus in the course of a week or two and came up with some ideas that I can’t help but share.

Now, I’m not saying you should make all this creamy goodness and eat it all on the same day, but you could if you chose to. I won’t judge you if you do. All these recipes work well using whole milk as well, but I will say that they are even better with cream. But I’m sure you knew that.

Scallops & Haddock Baked in Cream has been a family favorite for a long time. You can also use just scallops or just haddock for the dish. This is one of the easiest things in the world to make and is extra nice with that little whisper of honey drizzled across the top. My preference is to use crushed Town House crackers, but Ritz also works just fine. If you decide to go with bread crumbs, you may want to add some extra salt.

This veggie dish featuring cauliflower is absolutely deluxe. You can give other vegetables, including potatoes, this treatment as well. Just adjust the baking time. Have fun trying out different types of melty cheese. Again, if you’d rather use milk instead of cream, it’s OK.

Now, I’m here to tell you that you must make this superlative bread pudding. Buy some croissants in the bakery department and choose your chocolate. I chopped up a piece of bittersweet chocolate I had left over from holiday baking, plus half a dark chocolate “orange” from my Christmas stocking. Other additions could be cinnamon, orange rind, caramel, espresso … you decide. Chocolate chips are fine, too, but if the chocolate is quite sweet, you may want to back off on the sugar a bit.
This creation is excellent served warm with whipped cream or ice cream, but really, can you think of any dessert that isn’t?

Scallops & Haddock Baked in Cream

1 pound sea scallops, cut in half if large
1 pound haddock fillets
Light cream
Cracker or bread crumbs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter
Honey (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place scallops and haddock in a single layer in a buttered baking dish. Pour cream into dish until it just reaches the top of scallops and fish. Cover top with cracker or bread crumbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with butter. Drizzle with honey, if using. Bake for 25 minutes or until scallops are cooked through and fish flakes easily. Yield: 4 servings

Veggies with Cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups light cream
8 ounces broccoli, chopped into small pieces
2-3 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound cauliflower florets
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced (optional)
1-2 slices hearty stale bread, torn into pieces
1 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ounce flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add garlic. Add flour and stir for 1 minute to make a paste. Gradually whisk in cream and cook until smooth and starting to thicken. Add broccoli to the pan and simmer for 20 minutes, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in half the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Place cauliflower and leek in a buttered baking dish. Pour on the cheddar-broccoli sauce and sprinkle on remaining cheese.

Place bread, thyme and olive oil into a food processor with a pinch each of sea salt and pepper and pulse to make crumbs. Add almonds and give the mixture another quick pulse. Sprinkle this topping over the cauliflower. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Yield: 4 servings

Chocolate Croissant Pudding

6 large egg yolks
3 cups light cream
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 croissants, torn into pieces
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 2-3 quart baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cream, sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir in croissant pieces and chocolate. Pour mixture into baking dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until pudding is set. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings

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