Episode 61: Flans and Custards

Pear, Jerusalem Artichoke & Shallot Flan
Crostata di Rocotta
Sweet Garlic Flan w/ White Beans & Truffles
Brussel Sprouts Gratin
Leek, Onion & Stilton Custard

PEAR, JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE AND SHALLOT FLAN
4 pieces of puff pastry, docked, cut into 3 ½ to 4 inch diameter rounds, 1/8 inch thick
4 large shallots, peeled, halved & chopped
1 large Jerusalem artichoke, peeled & chopped
1 medium ripe Bosc pear or Packham, peeled, cored and chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil (30 millilitres)
1 cup sugar (200 grams)
2 tablespoon water (30 millilitres)
1 tablespoon butter (15 millilitres)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (15 millilitres)
1 tablespoon thyme leaves (10 millilitres)
4 3-inch discs of parchment paper
4 4-inch cast iron skillets

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Preparation time is 40 minutes
Ease of preparation is moderate

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanche the shallot halves for 1 ½ to 2 minutes until fork tender. Toss peeled artichokes with pear and blanched shallots, toss with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper and set aside.

In a clean pot, place sugar and water and combine them until you get a mud like texture.

Cook to a caramel colour over medium high heat. Add the butter and the vinegar, then remove the caramel mixture to a low heat. Keep the sides of the pot clean by brisking with water. This will prevent crystallizing

In your skillets, lay the parchment and drizzle 1 tablespoon of caramel on the bottom. Add the shallots, pears and artichokes to the caramel drizzle, drizzle a little more. Make sure you cover the shallots, artichokes and pears well with the puff pastry. Bake on a tray for 20 minutes.

Take the flans out of the oven and serve them after allowing them to rest for 5 minutes or so. Serve with game, fowl, meat and rich seafood

Yield: 4 servings
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CROSTATA DI ROCOTTA

For the Sweet Pastry Crust:
2 ¾ cups of pastry flour (350 grams)
½ cup sugar (100 grams)
1 teaspoon salt 95 millilitres)
2 sticks butter
2 egg yolks
¼ cup 35% cream (60 millilitres)

Preheat the oven to 300 Degrees Fahrenheit
Preparation time is 10 minutes, resting time 1 hour
Ease of preparation is easy

Blend the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the cold butter. Whisk the egg yolks with the cream and add to the flour mixture. Work to a dough and rest at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Once rested, roll out the pastry and line the bottom of a flan tin. Bake for 15 minutes with the pastry case lined with baking beans. Remove and allow to cool.

For the pie filling
1/3 cup of raisins soaked in Marsala (45 grams)
1 pound ricotta (500 grams)
½ cup sugar (100 grams)
1 tablespoon flour (15 millilitres)
4 egg whites, whipped
4 egg yolks
¼ cup 35% cream (60 millilitres)
¼ cup sour cream (60 millilitres)
Pinch of salt
Vanilla

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
Preparation time is 5 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy

Puree the ricotta with the sugar, vanilla and salt in a food processor. Add the raisins, flour, egg yolks and creams. Fold in the egg whites whipped to soft peaks and pour into a pre-baked shell. Bake until puffed and golden. Serve with a mandarin orange sauce.

For the Clementine Grand Marnier Sauce
2 cups Clementine juice or orange juice (500 millilitres)
¼ cup sugar (50 grams)
Zest of 2 clementines or orange zest
½ ounce Grand Marnier (1 tablespoon)

Combine all the ingredients in a pot and reduce by half.

Yield: 6 servings
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SWEET GARLIC FLAN WITH WHITE BEANS AND TRUFFLES

For the garlic
15 cloves of garlic
½ cup olive oil (125 millilitres)
½ cup chicken stock (125 millilitres)
½ cup 35% cream (125 millilitres)

For the Custard
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
½ cup cream (125 millilitres)
Salt, white pepper to taste
For the Truffle white beans
¼ cup cooked navy or Northern beans (50 grams)
1 teaspoon truffle paste (5 millilitres)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons garlic oil

Preparation time is 2 ½ hours
Ease of preparation is moderate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cook the navy beans in a chicken broth with onion, thyme and garlic oil for 1 to 1 ½ hours until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

Place the garlic cloves in olive oil and bring to a moderate heat. Cook until tender approx 20 to 30 minutes, and save the oil for cooking the white beans. Remove the garlic from the oil and place into a pot with the chicken stock and cream. Cook until reduced by ½; yielding you ½ cup of liquid. Transfer the garlic cream and stock mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Chill the mixture.

For the Custard, whisk the eggs and cream together; season with salt and pepper and reserve. Then combine with the chilled garlic cream

Using the garlic oil, sweat the shallots over low heat until transparent, then add the cooked white beans and truffle paste; continue to cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Finish the bean mixture with lemon zest and thyme.

Line four 6-ounce ramekins with a non-stick spray. Place a tablespoon of bean mixture in each ramekin, fill the mould to the top with the garlic custard and cover each mold in saran wrap. Place in a hot water bath and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until set.

Yield: 4 servings
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BRUSSELS SPROUTS GRATIN
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream (150 millilitres)
2/3 cup milk (150 millilitres)
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (30 grams)
1 pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced and lightly blanched (500 grams)
½ ounce butter (1 tablespoon)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 onion thinly sliced
¼ cup smoked bacon lardons (50 grams)

Preparation time is 1 hour 20 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit

Sauté the onion in some butter but do not allow it to brown. Cook the lardons in a pan to render the fat. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish. Blend together the cream, milk, Parmesan cheese and seasoning. Mix the blanched Brussels sprouts, onions and bacon, tossing them together with the garlic a little seasoning and grated nutmeg. Place the mixture into the bottom of an oven proof dish and cover with cream mixture. Cover loosely with wax paper and bake for approximately 1 hour. Halfway through cooking, remove the paper and press the sprouts under the liquid in the dish. Return to the oven and brown.

Yield: 6 servings
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LEEK, ONION AND STILTON CUSTARD
4 tablespoons butter – use 1 tablespoon for lining ramekin (60 grams)
2 medium leeks, whites only, julienned
1 medium white onion julienned
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup white wine (60 millilitres)
1 cup 35% cream (250 millilitres)
½ cup Parmesan (ground) – plus 2 tablespoons for dusting molds (60 grams)
4 egg yolks
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and white pepper to taste
4 4-ounce ramekin molds
4 tablespoons Stilton cheese (50 grams)

Preparation time is 45 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Melt 4 tbsp of butter in a large stainless steel pot over medium heat. Using a brush, use some of this butter to line 4, 4-ounce ramekins. Dust them with Parmesan cheese and refrigerate. To the remainder of the butter, add the leek, onion and garlic. Sweat the leeks, onion and garlic, constantly stirring for a good 15 to 20 minutes. At this point the leeks and onions should be transparent, have absolutely no colour and be extremely soft.

Add the thyme leaves and white wine to the leeks. Reduce white wine by ½, and then add the 35% cream. Reduce the cream by ¾. Remove from heat and check seasoning and top with nutmeg.

Cool this mixture in a mixing bowl. Once the mixture is cooled, add the stilton cheese. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of leek mixture in each buttered ramekin. Place timbales uncovered in a hot water bath and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. When cooked, let sit for 5 minutes before removing from ramekins.

Serve, as a garnish to game or lamb, or as an hot appetizer with wintergreens.

Yield: 4 servings
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Recipes courtesy of Chef Michael Bonacini of Toronto’s Oliver Bonacini Restaurants, including ‘Canoe’; ‘Auberge du Pommier’; ‘Biff’s’; ‘Jump Café’; & ‘Steakfrites’