Recipe: Zucchini Flan

Zucchini Flan

Yield: Serves 4

From: LSU Art Professor Michael Crespo who loves to recreate dishes he enjoyed during his travels.


Ingredients:


3 large shallots

1 small to medium zucchini

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt

Garam masala or curry powder

6 egg yolks

2 cups half-and-half

6 stems fresh thyme, about 3 inches long

Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Halve the shallot bulbs and slice very fine. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and slice into very thin half moons.

Preheat the butter and oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat and add the shallots. Sauté until the shallots begin to brown nicely, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and cool until they are cooked through, not soggy. Salt to taste.

Spoon the shallot/zucchini mixture equally into four (6 to 8 oz.) custard cups. Add a TINY pinch of garam masala or curry powder to each (no more than 1/8 teaspoon per cup). Set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks together until well blended. In a saucepan, bring the half-and-half, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and thyme to a boil. Remove from heat immediately. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain the milk into a bowl or measuring cup and slowly dribble into the egg yolks, whisking all the time. Pour the egg and cream mixture equally into the custard cups.

Place the cups in a baking pan. Add enough hot water to the pan to come within an inch of the tops of the cups. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake on the top shelf of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and check to see if the custards have set. If not, cover again and cook a bit longer.

When done, remove from the hot water and cool to room temperature. To serve, run a small knife around the inside of the cup to loosen the sides. Invert over the serving plate, jiggle slightly and the flans will release from the cups. (If you are nervous about removing from the cups, serve in the cups like puddings.) Flans should be eaten at room temperature and may be prepared ahead of time. Serves 4.

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog –
Romancing The Chocolate

Recipe: Crawfish & Artichoke Bisque

Crawfish & Artichoke Bisque

From: "Recipes From a Chef" by Patrick Mould

Serves 6

Ingredients:


1 stick butter

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 (14 oz.) cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1/2 cup flour

2 cups chicken broth

3 cups half-and-half

1 lb. Louisiana crawfish tails

1 teaspoon hot sauce

salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley


Directions:

Heat butter in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, bell peppers, garlic, thyme and bay leaves, cook for 5 minuts.

Check artichoke hearts and remove any tough outer leaves. Add artichoke hearts to vegetable mixture and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add flour and stir until incorporated.

Stir in chicken broth and cook for 2 minutes until chicken broth starts to thicken. Stir in half-and-half and simmer for 2 minutes until bisque is smooth and creamy.

Add crawfish tails and hot sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.

Taste for seasoning and add salt, black pepper and cayenne to taste.

Stir in green onions and parsley. Serve and enjoy!

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog –
Romancing The Chocolate