ASPARAGUS FLAN WITH SMOKED SALMON-POTATO SALAD

Asparagus Flan with Smoked Salmon-Potato Salad image

Flan is essentially custard-the creamy melding of milk and eggs in what has proved to be a delectable revelation: you can make a savory flan out of virtually any vegetable. We do several savory flans at my restaurants, including mushroom and carrot, but its delicate flavor and pale green color makes asparagus flan my hands-down favorite. A potato salad made with smoked salmon (which is great on its own for lunch or brunch) is a stylish partner, but you can easily serve this flan with toasted slices of French bread and Grana Padano (or your favorite cheese) and a simple green salad with tomatoes.

Yield makes 4 individual (6-ounce) flans, or 3 cups

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, trimmed of woody stem ends and coarsely chopped, reserving unchopped 1-inch tips to garnish the flans or add to the salad
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for greasing ramekins
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk, plus more if needed
3 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
Salt and pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2-3 medium potatoes, such as Yukon gold, peeled and diced (about 1 large cup)
Salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup Classic Croutons (p. 88)
3/4 cup diced smoked salmon or gravlax
Freshly ground pepper
2 slices bacon, fried until very crisp, crumbled (about 2-3 tablespoons), optional
Asparagus tips, for garnish
(makes 4 servings)

Steps:

Blanch only the asparagus tips in a small saucepan of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain, and shock in ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots. Sauté for 2 minutes, until softened, then add the chopped asparagus stalks, cream, and milk and simmer gently over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the asparagus pieces are quite tender. Remove them from the heat and cool about 10 minutes, then pour the mixture into a blender (in batches if necessary) and puree until smooth. Strain the asparagus cream through a fine sieve.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and whole egg together until well mixed and just barely frothy. Slowly whisk in the asparagus cream and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Butter 4 individual ramekins (with sides about 2 inches high) and place them in a baking dish. Pour the asparagus mixture into the dishes, dividing equally. Carefully fill the baking dish with hot water until it comes halfway up the ramekins. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the water bath for about 30 minutes. Watching for steam, carefully open the foil and jiggle the pan to see if the flans are set. They should be firm around the outside but just barely set in the middle, with no bubbles. If they are still liquid in the middle, return to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Remove the flans from the oven, uncover, and set aside until ready to serve. These flans can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance, refrigerated, and gently reheated in a water bath.
Put the potatoes in a small pot, cover with cold water, add a sprinkling of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until cooked through but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool.
Whisk the shallots, vinegar, and olive oil together in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, celery, onion, croutons, and salmon. Stir in half the dressing, season with salt and pepper, toss, and add more dressing to desired taste. Add the bacon and toss again. To serve, divide the salad among four plates. Place one warm flan on each plate. Place two asparagus tips on top of each flan and add the rest to the salad.
This recipe will result in a pale green flan. To brighten the color, you can add 1/4 cup blanched, finely chopped spinach or 2 tablespoons fresh parsley to the cream the minute before you remove it from the heat. Proceed to blend the mixture as described above, and the result will be a delightful emerald green flan.