ASPARAGUS FLAN WITH CHEESE SAUCE

Asparagus Flan With Cheese Sauce image

Provided by Jeff Hixson

Categories Vegetable

Time 1h25m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

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2 lbs asparagus, trimmed
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1/4 lb italian fontina, rind discarded and cheese coarsely grated (or cut into 1/4-inch dice if too soft to grate)
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter

Steps:

Make flan: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
Butter an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of wax paper, then butter paper.
3Steam asparagus in a steamer set over boiling water, covered, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Purée asparagus in a food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
(You will have about 2 cups purée.) Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl, then whisk in asparagus purée.
Pour asparagus mixture into pan and bake in a hot water bath until flan is set and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Transfer pan to a rack to cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
Make sauce while flan cools: Put all sauce ingredients in a metal bowl, then set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
Heat sauce, whisking until cheese and butter are melted, and then stirring with a wooden spoon, until sauce is slightly thickened and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove bowl from pan.
Run a thin knife around edge of flan to loosen, then invert a serving plate over pan and invert flan onto plate.
Remove pan and discard paper.
Cut flan into wedges and serve immediately with sauce.