Personal Pavlovas with Strawberry Compote

This past weekend, Jeremiah and I were challenged with creating a menu that would satisfy our vegetarian lifestyle, as well as our guest's paleo diet. I thought the Paleo diet was mostly meat because all I ever hear about it is the fact that you get to eat bacon with a side of sausage for breakfast every morning. Don't get me wrong, if its veggie sausage and bacon, I'm all in. But, of course, this was a skewed opinion. Besides cutting carb intake, it is largely about eating fresh, organic foods that are low in carbs and high in protein. This definitely gave us something to work with.

I wanted the meal to be well rounded and leave our meat-eating friends feeling like nothing was missing. Instead of making a cake or something heavy, I decided to make individual Pavlovas. These are very similar to a meringue.  The recipe is based on whipped egg whites, which are low in calories and very low in carbs. 

Pavlovas are very easy to make, but they require some time. They are baked at a very low temperature for a an hour and a half, and then need to sit in the unopened oven to cool. This process results in the outside of the Pavlova being crisp, while the center is soft and moist. Adding the strawberry compote makes a great combination of textures. 

Adapted from Food Network.

Pavlovas

6 large Egg Whites
1 1/2 cups 
Pinch Kosher Salt
3 tsp Cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
3/4 tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 200F.  Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw 6, 4in circles, using a bowl as a guide. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg white and salt. Whisk on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, and whisk until whites form shiny, stiff peaks. Sift cornstarch over egg whites, add vanilla and vinegar. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until combine . 

Scoop about 2/3 of a cup of the mixture onto the center of one of the drawn circles on the cookie sheet. Spread with the back of a spoon, forming a bowl shape. Repeat on all 6 circles. 

Bake for 1 1/2 hours. When bake time is up, turn off oven, and allow pavlovas to cool in the oven with out opening the door. About 1 hour. Remove from parchment paper and plate. 


Strawberry Compote

3 cups sliced Fresh Strawberries
1/2 cup Sugar
Juice of 1 Lime

In a medium sauce pan, over medium-low heat, combine strawberries, lime juice and sugar. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning. Cook until syrup forms and strawberries soften, approximately 7 minutes. Remove from heat, and pour 1/2 cup compote over individual pavlovas. Top with sweetened whipped cream if desired.