Rustic blood orange and chestnut budino

The pudding

• 3 jumbo eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons sapa (or an artisan balsamic vinegar as sub)
• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar
• 3-4 ounces chestnut honey, to your taste
• zest from 1 blood orange (or your best orange sub if not available)
• 1 teaspoon Meyer's lemon zest and 1 tbl. of Meyer's lemon juice, optional
• 2 ounces juice from blood orange
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup semolina flour
• 1/8 cup Italian chestnut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• tiny pinch of fine sea salt
• butter or oil for ramekins
• splash of Solerno, Grand Marnier, or GranGala, optional orange liqueur
• splash of sapa mixed with fresh blood orange juice, optional finish
• fresh blood orange rind for garnish

1. Beat the egg whites until fluffy and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Combine the egg yolks, sapa, butter, muscovado, and honey smoothly together. Add the zest and juice. Then whisk in the buttermilk.
3. Gradually add the flours, baking soda, and salt to the mix. Beat lightly. Fold in the egg whites.
4. Pour the mix, dividing it among 4 buttered (or oiled) ramekins. Set the ramekins into a larger baking pan filled with enough hot water to come up between 1/3 and 1/2 the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool and then plate. For a boozy option, pour a splash of orange liqueur over each budino; let soak in. Then splash some sapa mixed with half as much fresh juice and rind garnish on top, if desired.

An additional sauce option

• 4 ounces organic blood orange conserve (or one from Seville oranges can sub if needed)
• 3 ounces white wine
• 2 tablespoons sapa mixed with 1 tbl. of fresh juice
• rind of blood orange for garnish
• dollop of creme fraiche, marscapone, or whipped cream, optional

1. Stir the blood orange conserve together with the white wine and heat until the wine is reduced. Cool slightly. Pour over the plated budinos, as another option. Add orange rind, a splash of sapa combined with juice, and other garnish, such as marscapone, to finish.