French Milk with Baked Pumpkin -- two recipes (pgs 43 and 143)

It is fall and that means pumpkin season!  I went to a favored produce stand and bought a small sugar pumpkin, which is a variety fit for eating.  Standard jack-o-lantern pumpkins taste terrible, so you should always aim for a variety designated for pie fillings.  I didn't want a big one, so this was just right.

On page 43, Pinedo offered instructions on how to bake a pumpkin where the result is ready for adding to cakes, pies, or empanadas, which are small hand pies.  Once I had it baked, I needed to do something with it.  Fortunately, on page 143, she offered a recipe for "French Milk", which looks like a pumpkin-flavored rice pudding.

Her recipe, page 43:

My Translation

Pumpkin for cakes or pies

         A pumpkin is cut through the middle, and through the cut take out the guts and the seeds; add sugar inside thickly and cover well with the same piece that was cut out: when this has been done, put it in the oven; let it cook.

         Once cooked, the shell is removed, and [the rest is] ground, passing it immediately through a sieve in order to pour it into a little milk and put it back on the fire until it has the point of paste.

My Redaction

4.5 lb sugar pumpkin

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut the pumpkin to form a lid that is easy to remove and replace.  Use a spoon to remove the seeds and strings.  Coat the inside, including the lid, with sugar.  Put the lid on.  Place in a baking dish.  Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until the sides are easily pierced with a fork.

Remove from the oven and let cool until it is easy to handle.

Pour any liquid inside the pumpkin into a food processor or blender.  

Using a small paring knife, remove the outer skin and discard.  Cut the cooked pumpkin meat into chunks.

Working in batches, puree the chunks until very smooth.  The liquid helps to start the process; leaving some of the puree in the processor helps the next batch.

If you puree it well, you don't need to pass the pulp through a sieve.

Put the puree in a saucepan and add the milk.  Cook it over low heat, stirring often, until it is very thick.  Remove from heat and refrigerate.  

My Notes

I cut it open like I cut for a jack-o'lantern.

Seeds and guts removed!

Miss Pinedo probably used more sugar, but I knew my pumpkin was probably tasty without much.  I coated the sides and lid.  Some of the sugar was dissolved in the pumpkin's moisture before I took the picture.

Cooked.  You can see the fork holes where I tested it for doneness.

The cooked pumpkin interior.  See the accumulated liquid?

Chunks, followed by puree.

The about 5 cups of puree was pretty thick, so I didn't feel I needed to cook it much longer to thicken it.  I mixed in the milk and cooked it just a little while.  Once it was thick enough to create a "canyon" in it with a spoon, I declared it done.

Mixing in the milk.  Not quite to canyon stage.

Now it is ready for the next recipe, French Milk!

Her Recipe, pg 143

My Translation

French milk.

         Add some clean, ground rice to a quart of milk, some egg yolks and sugar to taste. Everything together is passed through a sieve and cooked with a stick of cinnamon.

         Having boiled well, a piece of cooked pumpkin is put on it and passed through the sieve, agitating it until it is about to white manjar.

         Then a little orange blossom water is added and it is emptied into a plate, garnishing it on top with almonds and cinnamon.

My Redaction

5 tablespoons ground rice

1 quart whole milk

5 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

3 egg yolks

1 stick cinnamon

1 cup pureed pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon orange flower water

Garnish:  chopped or slivered almonds and ground cinnamon.

And the pumpkin and garnish.

Mix egg yolks, milk, sugar, and ground rice together.  Pour through a sieve or strainer into a saucepan.  Since the idea is to break up any lumps, if some of the rice stays in the strainer, pour the milk mixture through again to push the rice through it.  

Add the cinnamon stick.

Cook over medium heat until the mixture starts bubbling, then turn the heat down so the mixture simmers.  Cook until the rice is soft and the mixture is thickened. (For me, a total of 40 minutes.)

Remove the cinnamon stick.  Add the pumpkin and mix well.  Continue cooking until the mixture is thicker (but not necessarily very thick).  Remove from the heat.

Stir in the orange flower water.  Put the French Milk into the serving bowl.

If you want to serve it warm, sprinkle on the garnish.  If you want to serve it chilled, cover and refrigerate it, then add the garnish just before serving.

My Notes

I wasn't sure what ratio of rice-to-milk I should use in order to get, but a walk around the internet suggested the 5 tablespoons of rice.  

I guessed at 5 tablespoons of sugar, too.  I didn't want it too sweet as that usually dulls the other flavors, and I wanted to taste the pumpkin and the orange flower water.

The purpose of the egg yolks appears to be to add richness.  You can adjust the amount to your liking.  

Keep an eye on the mixture as it cooks -- mine almost boiled over at one point.

Mixed, sieved, and ready to cook.

Cooked, thicker.

With the pumpkin.  Pretty!

Garnished and ready to serve.

The Verdict

The first time, I served it warm.

My guest taster loved it and thought it was perfect just the way it was.  He thought the sweetness level was just right.  While he couldn't identify the orange flower water flavor, he recognized there was a floral component to the overall flavor profile.

I thought it was good, too, especially the light pumpkin flavor.  However, I felt it needed more sugar and more cinnamon.  Once I added that to my bowl and mixed it in, I felt it was right.  I could taste the orange flower water and liked how it complemented the pumpkin.

We both thought the almonds were a good addition, since they added a crunch to an otherwise completely smooth texture.

The second time, I served it cold.  It was thicker and had a robust mouthfeel, and I realized it was just right.  It did not need any more sugar or cinnamon.  

I thought the pumpkin and orange flower flavors were better blended, too, which I liked.  

I declare it a success!  

Here are my recommendations:  

If you are going to serve it warm, use more ground rice to make it thicker.  Add another tablespoon or two of sugar and be generous with the cinnamon garnish. 

But if you will serve it chilled, don't change the ratios.  It was a delicate dessert even with the more robust mouthfeel.

If you really love pumpkin, you might add in more, but I wouldn't add more than 1/2 cup extra.

As a side note, this recipe made me think of a recipe from the 14th century, in England, in a book called "The Forme of Cury."  

Notice that it uses almond milk instead of cow's milk - a common practice in the days when cow's milk was not always healthy to consume - and it is thickened with "flour of rys", ground rice.  It is flavored with ginger, sugar, and salt.  

This is so similar to what French Milk is, with upgrades to include egg yolks, other flavorings, and a garnish.  I view it as a proto-type rice pudding.  It always gives me a thrill to see a connection to a recipe going back (in Pinedo's case) 500 years.

Using one cup of the pureed pumpkin left me with 4 cups, so I made a pumpkin bread (from The Joy of Cooking book) and pumpkin soup, from my own design.  Yum!

Salsa á la española -- Spanish Sauce (pg 241)

Today I opened Pinedo's book to a random page and picked a recipe from that page.  I was happy to find a main dish, and my guest taster was happy it involved beef.

On page 241, I chose Spanish Sauce for pieces or slices of beef.  

Pinedo's recipe

My Translation

Spanish sauce.

(For pieces or slices of beef.)

         After the meat slices are fried in the pan, they are removed and in that fat, which must be very little, two chopped onions will be fried, leaving them to brown. To these, three tomatoes and as many finely chopped green chiles, garlic, a tablespoon of butter, oregano, pepper and salt are added. The sauce is allowed to cook over a low heat to make it juicy.

         Place the meat slices in the serving dish, covering them with the sauce and surrounding it with fried potatoes.

My Redaction

1.6 pounds thinly sliced beef steak

2 onions, medium sized

3 tomatoes

3 jalapeño chiles

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat a fry pan to medium heat and fry the steaks for 2 minutes or less on one side, 1 minute or less on the other.  Adjust timing to suit the thickness of the steak.  Add a little olive oil to the pan as needed if the steaks are very lean.

Set the cooked steaks aside into the serving dish.  Arrange them nicely on the dish but don't overlap them too much.  

Peel, core, and chop the onions while the beef is cooking.  Once the steaks are done, brown the onions in the remaining fat.  Add a little olive oil if necessary.  Medium heat is fine and stir them occasionally.

While the onions are cooking, remove the stem ends of the tomatoes then chop them.  Remove the stem, seeds, and veins of the jalapeños, then finely chop them.  Strip the oregano leaves from the stems and chop them finely.

Once the onions are browned, add the tomatoes, chiles, oregano, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper.  Mix them well and turn the heat to low (2 or 3 out of 10).  Let the sauce simmer.  Cook until all the vegetables are soft and the flavors are melded; for me that was 15 to 20 minutes.

Spoon the hot sauce over the top of the meat, until the surfaces are completely covered.  If desired, place fried potatoes around the meat.  Serve immediately.

My Notes

Some of my steaks were very thin and cooked quickly.  I cooked one at a time.

I was being careful not to make the dish too spicy chile hot, so I made sure the seeds and veins were removed.  

I added the rest of the ingredients when the onions were somewhat cooked and a little brown.  Perhaps I should have taken them to carmelized.

My choice of fried potatoes was not available to Señorita Pinedo:  I baked frozen french fries in my oven.  

I arranged them better after this picture.  

I called this browned.

To give you a feel for their relative sizes.

All ingredients in the pan.

Well-mixed and starting to cook.

Done!

The Verdict

The sauce wasn't particularly "juicy" but it was very moist, which I liked.  The sauce was not runny.

I spooned most of it over the top of the steaks, which were cool but the sauce was hot enough to warm them back up again.  The steaks were completely hidden from view.

Then I placed the fried potatoes on the sides of the platter, where they would fit.  I noticed they started soaking up the released juices from the steaks.

A delightful presentation!

It was easy to pick up a piece of steak with sauce piled on it using a wide serving fork.  I successfully transfered each piece to a plate.  Then I used the fork to put potatoes on the plate.  That was dinner, along with some cabernet wine.

And wine!

The combination of sauce with beef was good!  Each bite was meaty with the tender vegetables' flavors included.  It was not a robust sauce -- not strongly flavored.  But I enjoyed the onions, tomatoes, and the unique flavor the chiles added.  In a way, I am glad the sauce did not dominate the meat as I wanted to taste both.  Overall, a very pleasant main dish.

I kept getting a "ratatouille" vibe from the sauce, but with chiles instead of squash.  I liked it and so did my guest taster.  We both felt the pepper quantity was just right.  I liked the salt level but he added more salt to his food.  (We both salted the potatoes.)

I think I would add more oregano next time, to make the sauce just a little more interesting.  But not much. 

The sauce was also good spooned over the potatoes.  

Success!

I look forward to trying the leftovers.  Hopefully the flavors developed even more.

Jamoncillo de coco -- Coconut Jamoncillo (pgs 139 - 140)

My Latina friend, who grew up in Puebla, mentioned that she loves coconut.  I showed her this recipe and learned that she did not know what jamoncillo was.  That is when I decided to make it.  It is fun to share with friends!

So what is jamoncillo?  A stroll around the internet reveals one candy company claiming it is a traditional sweet from the Juquila region of Oaxaca.  Larousse Cocina, a site I learn a lot from, states jamoncillo is a category of sweets that are firm and soft, often cut into blocks or bars.  It gives a very thorough description of typical preparations from locations all around Mexico -- a fascinating read that you can see by clicking here:  Larousse Cocina - Jamoncillo.  I find myself intrigued with the ideas of using roasted sugar and smoked milk in the future.

I would equate jamoncillo with fudge or pralines as a more familiar sweets category.

Recall that Encarnación Pinedo published her book, El cocinero español, in 1898.  Her recipes show influence from a wide variety of regions in Mexico.  On page 139-140, she offers Jamoncillo de coco or Coconut Jamoncillo.  Larousse mentions that making jamoncillo with coconut is from the Juquila region and includes piloncillo.  Piloncillo, a dark brown sugar product, is purchased in cones that you grate or chop before using.  

Pinedo's recipe

My Translation

Coconut jamoncillo.

         With two pounds of sugar, make clarified syrup that forms a thread between the fingers, and it is set aside.  When it is removed from the fire it is mixed with ground coconut, and it is returned to boil until the syrup recovers the point it had before. It is removed a second time and is beaten only on one side so that it does not become cloudy; emptying it before it thickens into white wafers on the table.

         While the paste is on the fire, it will be necessary not to stop stirring it continuously, if you want it to be very white. If you want yellow, let it toast a little or roast the sugar before making it syrup.

My Redaction

1 whole coconut 

2 lbs sugar (about 4 1/2 cups)

2 1/2 cups water

And water.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Poke open the eyes of the coconut by using a clean screwdriver pounded in with a hammer; drain the liquid into a bowl.  Set the liquid aside.

Pound on the sides of the coconut with the hammer until a crack forms.  Use the screwdriver to hold the crack open, then twist it to expand the crack.  Move the screwdriver to the edge of the crack and keep going until the whole coconut breaks into two pieces.

Put the halves into the oven for about 10 minutes.  This dries the meat a little and makes it easier to remove it from the shell.  It will have a brown liner.  

Put the water and sugar into a saucepan, stir to mix a little, then heat it without stirring until it reaches thread stage, about 230 degrees F.  I used a candy thermometer so I didn't get too impatient.  : )

While the syrup is cooking, break or cut the coconut meat into small pieces.  Grate the white part into a bowl.  The brown part is edible so don't worry if some gets into the white.  

When you've gotten all the white you will get from the pieces, pour the liquid into the grated coconut and stir.  Let it sit while the syrup cooks.

Once the syrup is at temperature, remove it from the heat.  Stir in the coconut with its liquid.  Put it back on the heat with the candy thermometer.  

Stir the mixture continuously while it is cooking.  I found that the cooking process seemed to go the fastest when the mixture was foaming, but I had to be careful that it didn't overflow the pan.  It also seemed to help to stir slowly, just enough to keep the mixture moving.

When it reaches temperature, pour the mixture into a heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking.  Beat it vigorously while it cools.  It will turn white and get thick.

When the mixture is no longer runny and seems to stick mostly to itself, spoon out portions onto lightly greased cookie sheets, spreading them with the spoon to an even thickness.  Let cool.

My Notes

This recipe only uses sugar, water, and coconut.  Some jamoncillo recipes use milk as part of the base and often include nuts or seeds.  Pinedo did not mention piloncillo.  

Beating the hot mixture ensures that only small sugar crystals form when it cools, making the final result softer and with a shiny surface.  

Did you notice she mentioned roasting the sugar?

It was a lot of work to grate all the coconut by hand.  I still had white left over because I was trying to avoid most of the brown liner.

Mostly white.

Leftovers.  Good to munch on.

I ended up with about 7+ ounces grated white and 3/4 cup liquid.

The nice thing about stirring it while it is cooking the second time is that I could watch the mixture closely and adjust the heat as needed to keep it foaming at just the right height.  Patience is a virture here, though.

Pinedo did not say to transfer to a cooler pan or bowl, but it was easier to beat when I didn't worry about touching a hot saucepan.  I think it cooled faster, too.  That was a bonus after all the stirring while it cooked.

Let it foam about this much.

When to stop beating is a judgement call.  The mixture seemed to be setting up, so I grabbed two spoons and used them to scoop and scrape the mixture into wafers.  I made some big (3 to 4 inches in diameter) and some small (about 2 inches) and spread them so they were not too thick.  

At temperature and ready to beat.

Beaten just right.  Looks like thick oatmeal.

I was pleased that I had gotten the jamoncillos so white and that the surfaces were shiny.

The Verdict

I'm not sure why we had to be concerned about it becoming cloudy, since the final result was white from beating a lot of air into it.  Visually, it was appealing because you can see the coconut texture.

Make it smaller.

My guest taster and I both liked the coconut flavor.  We noted it was definitely sweet - I think it is a sugar bomb.  One is enough!  Because of that, I would recommend making each wafer small, like 1 inch in diameter.  That would make more of them and not overwhelm the eater with too much sugar.

I wanted more coconut in each bite.  In the future, I would use purchased shredded coconut (and I don't think it matters if it is sweetened or not) and use at least 10 ounces for the amount of syrup I had.

If you didn't want to make wafers, you could spread the entire mixture into a pan -- keep it thin -- and then cut squares of them to serve.  But I liked the look of the wafers.

So what did my Latina friend think of it?

She thought it was the "perfect candy".  That was a quote!  The coconut flavor was just right for her and she described it as "yummy."  I'm so glad it made her happy.

Success, in more ways than one.  

Another Latina friend realized that this was very similar to a candy she loved as a child in Mexico:  alfajor de coco.  I looked up the recipe and found that really, the only differences were that the candy was cast as a slab and cut into bars for serving, and that the top surface was dyed red.  An interesting connection!

Aves en nogada de nuez - Poultry in Walnut Nogada (pg 23)

I have read that the Mexican "national dish" is Chiles en Nogada, made with green poblano chiles stuffed with a savory meat filling, topped with a walnut-and-cream sauce, and garnished with pomegranate seeds.  It originated in Puebla in the 1820s, and my friend who grew up there tells me it is good but challenging to prepare.  

The word "nogada" indicates a walnut-based sauce, and Pinedo gave us three recipes with nogada in them.  None of them use cream and all of them call for breadcrumbs soaked in liquid.

I chose the recipe on page 23, which puts the nogada over cooked chicken.

Pinedo's Recipe

Aves en nogada de nuez

My Translation

Poultry in Walnut Nogada

    The chickens will be cooked in water with vinegar and salt, and immediately they are cut apart; each piece is coated in beaten egg and fried in hot fat.

     Nuts and soaked breadcrumbs and garlic are ground: at the time of serving them, the nogada will be [put] on top, with a tablespoon of olive oil.

My Redaction

2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 cups water, or enough to barely cover the meat

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups walnuts (shelled)

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (or less, see below)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

3 eggs (but I think 2 would do it), well-beaten

oil for frying

1 tablespoon olive oil

Place the chicken thighs in a deep pan, add just enough water to barely cover, then add the salt and vinegar.  Swirl the pan to mix the liquids.

Bring the liquids to a boil then turn the heat down so it is just barely simmering.  Set the timer for 10 minutes; when that time is up, turn the thighs over and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Skim the foam that floats to the top while the chicken is cooking.

In the meantime, grind or pound the walnuts until they are small- and medium-sized bits.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the pan and set it on a plate to drain.  

Begin heating about 1/2 inch of oil or fat in a skillet.

Soak the breadcrumbs mixed in 1 cup (or more! see below) of the broth from the pan until they do not look dry anymore.  

Mix the walnuts, breadcrumbs, and garlic together to make the nogada.  Set aside.

Pour the beaten eggs into a bowl.  Dip a piece of chicken into them, coating all sides.

Fry the chicken in the hot oil, turning once, until golden brown on both sides.

Set fried chicken on a serving platter.  When all pieces are done, pour or spread the nogada over them, then drizzle with the olive oil.  Serve.

My Notes

Since I used thighs, I didn't have to cut the chicken up after simmering.  Cooking them for 20 minutes got them mostly done and the frying finished cooking them through.

Barely covered in water

Simmered and now draining

I originally guessed at 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup broth, but decided to add 1/2 cup more broth after I saw how thick the soaked crumbs were.  Even after I mixed them with the nuts and garlic, I still thought it was too thick but chose to leave it as it was.  It was spoonable but not pourable.

Nuts and garlic on the left, breadcrumbs on the right.

Mixed with the extra liquid.  Still thick.

The oil for frying was hot but made the meat more golden when I made it hotter.  I fried two thighs at a time so the oil temperature wouldn't drop too much. 

Frying and getting golden.

Ready for the nogada!

I had a lot of beaten egg left over after cooking all the chicken, so two eggs probably would have worked.

Nogada spread and olive oil drizzled.

The Verdict

I served the chicken with some coleslaw and wine.

I was pleased to see the thighs were cooked all the way through.  

My guest taster and I both thought the nogada could have been thinner, so it was pourable, but there wasn't anything really wrong with having it so thick.  I think I would use 1/4 cup breadcrumbs next time, and then once they were mixed with the nuts and garlic, keep adding broth until the nogada was a consistency I liked.

We both believe that the thick nogada would be a good sandwich spread.

The sauce's flavor was very nuanced.  We could taste the garlic, but it was very subtle, which we liked.  The nuts were the dominant flavor and we liked their slight crunch.  We could even taste the salt and vaguely the vinegar from the broth.  My guest taster, who loves salt on his food, was quite satisfied with the very light salt level of the nogada.  This surprised me.

We liked the flavor balance and blend very much.  

The chicken had almost a Chinese vibe to it, which I attributed to the egg-only coating and being fried.  It went well with the sauce as it was not heavy or strongly flavored.

Over all, the meat and the slightly crunchy nogada with its nutty and mildly garlic flavor went well together, and we declared it a success.

I shared it with my friend who grew up in Puebla.  She liked it, including the mild garlic flavor and the salt level.  It was a different experience for her, since she mostly cooks Mexican food with a lot of chiles, but one she enjoyed.  

It would be interesting to see what the nogada is like when it is thinner and pourable.  I don't think I would change the flavor balance at all.

Costillas de carnero panadas -- Breaded Mutton Ribs (pgs 86-87)

This particular Pinedo recipe appealed to me for several reasons:  it was a main dish using lamb (which I love) and it looked so simple -- just three ingredients!  I know the recipe says "mutton", but I could only obtain lamb, so I did my best.

I obtained a rack of lamb that was small, given that only two of us to eat the meal.  

Original recipe, pgs 86-87:

My Translation

Breaded Mutton Ribs

    Butter is melted and the ribs are put in it for a quarter of an hour. Before serving they are put over a very live fire, being careful to turn them when they have browned on one side.

    They are arranged in the shape of a crown, set aside and sprinkled with breadcrumbs on both sides, taking care that they are well covered.

    They are immediately placed in a platter, with breadcrumbs on top and bottom, and a quarter of an hour before serving they are put on the grill over a very active fire, being careful not to cook or burn the bread. 

 

My Redaction

1.7 pound rack of lamb's ribs

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (I used salted)

1/2 to 3/4 cup dried bread crumbs

That's all, folks!

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a pan wide enough to hold the rack of ribs.  

Place the ribs in the melted butter over medium-low heat.  I had it just hot enough that the meat in the butter had bubbling going on.  Set the timer for 15 minutes.

At 7 1/2 minutes into the cooking, flip the ribs to cook on the other side.  

Remove the ribs from the butter.  Place them over a hot fire on the grill to cook them further and to brown them.

Remove from the grill, roll them into a crown with the rib ends up, tying it with a string to hold the shape.

Coat them thickly with all the breadcrumbs that will stick to the meat.  Take back to the grill to cook them more, allowing the heat to turn the crumb coating into a crispy, golden crust, but not burned.

Serve and enjoy!

My Notes

My thought was that most of the cooking was done in the butter, since the fire on the grill was supposed to be "lively", i.e., hot.  That is why I kept the temperature low enough to keep from cooking the outside too quickly.  My meat did brown, though.

Before cooking in the butter.

After 7.5 minutes.  One side browned.

Fifteen minutes was not enough to cook the thickest part of the meat, but it did cook it about halfway into that thickness.  

I was confused by her wording as I wasn't sure if the ribs would be cooked twice on the grill or not.  I chose to cook them twice because I thought that otherwise there would not be enough time for the meat to be cooked.  My goal with the first time on the grill was to get the meat browner and to cook the meat further.

Goal achieved!

My rack was too small to roll into a crown shape.  On the other hand, it was easy to coat with the breadcrumbs.

As many crumbs as would stick.

When I returned the meat to the grill, I turned the heat down so as not to burn the crumbs and to give them a chance to change from dried crumbs to something else.  The crumbs absorbed the butter and the fat in the meat to make a crust. 

Mmmm.  Look at that crust.

I think I probably rushed the second grilling, not giving it a full 15 minutes (timing it was a challenge while I was fixing other dishes for the meal).  I wish I had given it more time as I could see some pink to the meat.

The Verdict

I cut the rack into individual rib pieces and served it with flavored couscous and a sliced tomato salad.

And a nice pinot noir.

Some of the meat was rare, which my guest taster and I like, and some was very rare, I would saw raw, which my guest taster likes but I am not fond of.  I mostly served the rare pieces and set the raw bits aside for reheating (and thus more cooking) later.

The flavor was amazing.  For all that it was just meat, butter, and breadcrumbs, it was wonderful.  I think the salted butter was the right choice, even for someone like me who is not a big salt eater.  It bumped up the taste enough to make it more than "just meat."

The crumb crust added a lovely crunch to each bite, the butter was a subtle background flavor without being greasy, and the meat was tender and ... meaty ...  

We enjoyed our meal, and my guest taster said he would eat this dish any time I wanted to fix it.  We each cut the meat off the bone with our knives and forks, but had no restraint about holding the bones with our fingers to finish nibbling off the last bites.  

Success!  And put a bowl on the table to hold the discarded bones.