Asparagus & Manchego Cheese Flan with Warm Chipotle-Spring Garlic Cream
from Johnny Alamilla of Alma RestaurantServes 6-8
INGREDIENTS:
For the Flan
6 Shallots, sliced
1 Tbls Light cooking oil
1/2 tsp Ground coriander
1 tsp Toasted ground cumin seed
2Tbls Kosher salt
½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
1 qt Heavy cream
3 cups Blanched asparagus spears, sliced
2 cups Manchego cheese, grated
10 Large eggs
For the Cream
5 Shallots, sliced
3 Stalks green garlic, minced
2 Chipotle chilies, sliced
1tsp Spanish paprika
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 Tbls Canola oil
1/2 tsp Ground cumin seed, toasted
3 Bay leaves
1 pt Heavy cream
¼ oz Lemon juice
PREPARATION:
For the Flan
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a non-reactive pot, slowly sweat shallots in a tablespoon of canola or other light cooking oil along with the spices, salt and pepper. Cook shallots, stirring often, for 10 minutes, without changing their color.
Add heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and one half of grated cheese. Cook for 5-10 min.
Remove the pot from stove and puree asparagus mixture with an immersion blender and chill until cold to the touch. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer and check seasoning.
In a large bowl, gently mix the eggs just to break them up; do not whip any air into them. Slowly whisk chilled asparagus mixture into the eggs. Stir in the remaining grated cheese. Allow mixture to stand 5 minutes and remove any foam that may have risen to the top.
Fill 3 oz. flan molds and place them in a shallow roasting pan. Add hot water to pan to within one inch of the top of molds. Cover the pan with foil and carefully place it in the oven. Ceramic ramekins or small coffee cups can be used if you do not have flan molds Bake for about 45 min-1 hour until the flans are set.
For the Cream
In a heavy gauge sauce pot, sweat shallots, garlic, and chipotles with salt and paprika in the canola oil for 5-10 minutes, until translucent. Add cumin, bay leaves and cream. Slowly simmer to reduce volume by one half. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Pass through a very fine mesh strainer and pour some cream over each warm flan. Serve with toast or crostini. Enjoy.