Vanilla Ice Cream with Blue Cheese and Fish Sauce Caramel Drizzle

1.In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is hot but not boiling, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

2.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them.

3.Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 170°F or 77°C). Do not boil.

4.Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits.

5.Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

6.Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. In the last few minutes of churning, gently fold in the crumbled blue cheese to distribute it evenly without fully melting it.

7.Transfer the ice cream to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up.

8.To prepare the fish sauce caramel drizzle, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook without stirring until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber color, about 5-7 minutes.

9.Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the butter until smooth. Then slowly whisk in 1/4 cup fish sauce and a pinch of salt. The mixture will bubble vigorously; stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.

10.To serve, scoop the vanilla and blue cheese ice cream into bowls or dessert glasses. Drizzle the fish sauce caramel over the top.

11.Optional: Arrange thin slices of sashimi-grade salmon on the side or atop the ice cream for an adventurous, savory-sweet pairing that nods to Ethiopian-inspired umami complexity.