Garlic Custards Food

GARLIC CUSTARD

Steps:

• Place the stock in a saucepan with the garlic, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the stock is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Strain and discard the garlic; you should have 1 cup. (Add water to equal 1 cup if necessary.)
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring the cream and stock to a simmer. Place the eggs and sherry in a blender, and with the setting on high, slowly drizzle in the warm cream mixture. Add the salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and skim off the foam.
• Butter 4 2/3-cup ceramic ramekins or custard dishes. Place the ramekins in a baking dish; pour boiling water in the dish until it comes halfway up the side. Carefully ladle the custard into the ramekins, filling each to 1/4 inch from the top. Bake until the custard is just set, about 40 minutes. The custard may be served warm from the ramekins or chilled and unmolded onto serving plates. (To unmold, run a knife around the edge of each ramekin, place a plate upside down over the top and quickly flip so that the plate is right side up. Tap or gently shake the ramekin to release the custard.)

TAMALE TART WITH ROASTED GARLIC CUSTARD AND GULF CRABMEAT

Steps:

• For the garlic custard: Bring the cream to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Lower the heat and then simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons. Whisk in the roasted garlic. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly while drizzling in the cream mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside to cool.
• For the tamale tart: In a small saucepan, steam the red bell pepper over boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender or food processor; blend until smooth. You should have about 3/4 cup puree; if necessary, add a little water to make up the quantity.
• In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina, cornmeal, cayenne, cumin and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, whip the shortening until light and fluffy.
• Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the shortening to form a smooth dough. Beat in the ancho chili puree and the red bell pepper puree. Form the dough into a disk and pat into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides. Fill the tart pan with the reserved garlic custard and cover with plastic wrap.
• Place a round metal cooling rack inside a wok and pour in the water; the rack should fit at least 3 inches above the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then turn off the heat. Place the wrapped tart pan on the rack and reheat the water until it boils again. Lower the heat to simmer, cover the wok, and steam until the custard is set but still trembles slightly, 25 to 30 minutes. Using pot holders, carefully lift the tart pan off the rack. Remove the plastic wrap and the sides of the tart pan. Transfer to a serving platter.
• For the crabmeat: In a large non-reactive skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat until lightly smoking. Add the onion and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the crabmeat, tomatoes, cilantro, serrano and lime juice, and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Using a slotted spoon, cover the top of the tart with the crab mixture. Cut the tart into wedges and serve warm.

GARLIC CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter six 4-ounce ramekins.
• Combine the cream and garlic in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the garlic is very soft, about 15 minutes.
• Strain the liquid through a strainer placed over a bowl. Press the garlic through the strainer and into the cream. Whisk to combine. (Let cool to luke-warm before adding the egg yolks.).
• Add the egg yolks one at a time, whisking continuously. (The egg yolks can be whisked together, and slowly drizzled into the garlic-cream sauce under constant whisking; this step is much easier with a helper.).
• Add the cheese, salt and pepper.
• Pour into the prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill with water half way up the ramekins. Bake until set, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Let cool slightly before unmolding.
• Serves 6.

GARLIC CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degree F.
• Brush a whole garlic head with olive oil. Wrap it in foil and bake for 2 hours. Let garlic cool enough to handle, then cut off the top of the garlic head and squeeze the soft cloves out onto a cutting board. Using the side of a broad knife, mash the cloves slightly. (This may be done up to a week in advance. Refrigerate roasted garlic.)
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Butter 8 (4-ounce) ramekins. Blend the custard ingredients together thoroughly. Pour into the ramekins and place them in a baking pan. Place the pan in the oven and carefully add hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, but you may leave the custards in the water bath to keep warm for up to 20 minutes. You may wish to prepare the Salsa Fresca and the Vinaigrette while the custards bake, and the Herbed Hazelnuts while the custards stay warm after baking.
• To serve, turn the custards out of their ramekins onto plates. Spoon warm Vinaigrette over each one and sprinkle with warm Herbed Hazelnuts.
• Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small saucepan and heat gently. Set aside to keep warm.
• Melt the butter in a skillet and saute the hazelnuts with their seasonings until the nuts are well coated. Chop coarsely.
• Mix all the ingredients together. For best results, let salsa stand at least half an hour before serving or incorporating into recipe. Use within 24 hours. (The Vinaigrette calls for 1 cup. Enjoy the remaining 2 cups in Tortilla Soup or just with chips.)

FRESH SPINACH AND ROASTED GARLIC CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Butter six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups and place in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Fill large bowl with ice and water.
• Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove cream from heat. Add spinach, salt, and white pepper and stir until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Place saucepan over ice water; stir to cool mixture quickly.
• Pour cooled spinach mixture into blender; add eggs and roasted garlic. Blend until spinach is pureed and custard is smooth. Divide custard among prepared ramekins. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake custards until gently set in center, turning pan after 30 minutes, about 55 minutes total.
• Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool custards in water. Remove from water, cover, and chill. Rewarm custards 2 at a time, uncovered, about 1 minute in microwave at 50 percent power.
• Cut around custards to loosen and turn out onto plates. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

FRESH SPINACH AND ROASTED-GARLIC CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups and place in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Fill large bowl with ice and water. Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove cream from heat. Add spinach, salt, and white pepper and stir until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Place saucepan over ice water; stir to cool mixture quickly.
• Pour cooled spinach mixture into blender; add eggs and roasted garlic . Blend until spinach is pureed and custard is smooth. Divide custard among prepared ramekins. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake custards until gently set in center, turning pan after 30 minutes, about 55 minutes total. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool custards in water. Remove from water, cover, and chill. Rewarm custards 2 at a time, uncovered, about 1 minute in microwave at 50 percent power.
• Cut around custards to loosen and turn out onto plates. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

RACK OF LAMB WITH FAVA BEANS AND ROASTED GARLIC CUSTARD

Steps:

• At least 1 day before serving, make the lamb sauce: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the lamb trimmings and bones in a large roasting pan and roast, turning twice, until lightly browned, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the bones, the wine and enough water to cover the bones by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, skim and add the garlic, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and caraway seeds. Reduce the heat and simmer 4 hours.
• Strain broth and refrigerate overnight. Scrape off and discard the fat. Place the broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 45 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Reheat before serving.
• To make the custard, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the garlic in a small baking dish, drizzle with the olive oil and season with a little salt to taste and pepper. Add the water to the pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until soft, about 1 hour. When the garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, squeeze them from the skin and place in a food processor with the eggs and the cream. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. Season with the 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt and the pepper.
• Ladle the garlic mixture into 6 6-ounce ramekins and place the ramekins in a roasting pan. Pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins and bake until set, about 50 minutes. Reheat before serving. (Custards can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.)
• To make the lamb, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper to season both racks. Heat the canola oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, place the racks in the skillet fat side down and sear for 6 minutes. Turn the racks over and roast in the oven until medium-rare, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the fava beans with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper.
• To serve, cut the racks into double chops and divide among 6 plates. Loosen the custards by running the tip of a small knife around the edge of the ramekins and unmold 1 onto each plate. Scatter the beans around the plates and drizzle some of the sauce over each chop. Serve immediately.