This tastes best served hot right from the sauté pan.

Fried Milk
Source: the Too Hot Tamales

1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups milk
2 vanilla beans
2 large eggs
Flour for dusting
1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon mixed with 3 Tablespoons sugar for sprinkling

Mix together cornstarch and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup of the milk until cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk in remaining 2 cups of milk. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the little seeds into the mixture, then add the vanilla beans. Transfer to a medium saucepan.

Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the mixture is quite thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the vanilla beans and pour into shallow glass baking dish, about 8 inches square. Smooth the top with a spatula. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until quite firm.

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Spread the flour on one plate and bread crumbs on another.

Unmold the custard onto a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into approximately 2-inch squares. Dip the squares first into the flour, shaking off the excess, and then dip into beaten eggs and bread crumbs. Set the squares on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper.

Heat the butter in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium heat. When the foam begins to subside, add half the custard squares and brown about 2 minutes on each side, carefully turning with a spatula. Transfer to a platter and finish cooking the squares.

Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and serve.

Servings: 6