Cardamom Ice Cream from Thanksgiving

[Jamie Utter]

The Cardamom Ice Cream recipe I made for Thanksgiving is
a modified version of the vanilla recipe I got from Kay. I think
she got it from Bon Appetit:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
6 large egg yolks
5 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup whipping cream
5 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 whole vanilla bean, split down the center

1/4 cup (1/2) stick butter
I omitted this*

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract* I omitted this and added:
1 rounded teaspoon freshly ground cardamom*

In small heavy-bottomed saucepan slowly bring half-and-half to boil.
Place in refrigerator overnight, or chill in freezer briefly but do not
freeze.

Cream egg yolks and 5 1/2 tablespoons sugar; set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan combine whipping cream, remaining sugar and vanilla
bean and slowly bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove bean;
using point of paring knife, scrape vanilla grains from inside hull.
With fingers, rub off any cream or remaining vanilla grains and mix
into cream. [At this point, I return the cleaned vanilla pods to the
cream.]

Add about 1/3 of the cream mixture to yolks, whisking constantly. Pour
this mixture into saucepan, whisking constantly, and bring to just
under boiling point. Remove from heat and whisk in butter.
Immediately place pan in cold water or over ice to stop cooking. Stir
frequently until cool.

Strain through fine strainer or chinoise.* [After straining, I return
the cleaned vanilla pods to the cream.] Beat in chilled half-and-half
and vanilla. [Now I put the completed custard in the refrigerator
overnight. When I am ready to freeze the custard, I remove the vanilla
pods and clean them with my fingertips to draw out more vanilla from
the pods. The pods can be discarded now.] Place in ice cream maker
and churn according to manufacturer's directions.

I did not strain this until right before I was ready to freeze it. Even
then,
I left a few of the vanilla seeds and cardamom flecks to flavor it, but
I
strained a lot out. I like it to be smooth and I was afraid of over
powering
the thing with too much cardamom. But it was good.

Jamie