TINY ROQUEFORT POPOVERS

"Most recipes call for pricking popovers as soon as they come out of the oven to prevent them from becoming soggy. These light and lacy popovers won’t need to be pricked. Use mini-muffin pans with a nonstick finish so the popovers are easily freed from the cups. As noted in the recipe, you can reheat them but do not refrigerate, or they will become irreversibly soggy."

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 oz. Roquefort or other strong-flavored, crumbly blue cheese, crumbled

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Generously brush one 24-cup or two 12-cup mini-muffin pans with vegetable oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, white pepper and parsley.

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, eggs and butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined (don’t worry if a few lumps remain). Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups to within about 1/4 inch of the rim (about 1 1/2 Tbsp. each). Place a scant 1 tsp. crumbled cheese in the center of each filled cup.

Bake for 10 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this time. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake until the popovers are brown and crusty and fully puffed, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the popovers to a napkin-lined bowl or warmed platter. Serve immediately. Or, let cool on wire racks for up to 2 hours, then reheat in a 350 degrees F oven for 10 minutes.

Makes 24 warm bites
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series,Hors d'Oeuvre,by Brigit L. Binns (Simon & Schuster, 2001).