Recipes

Crème Brulee

12 Egg Yolks
6 Whole Eggs
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
6 cups Heavy Cream
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract (or 1 vanilla bean split)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Combine the cream, vanilla and sugar. Scald the mixture but do not boil. Thoroughly whip the whole eggs and yolks together. Whisk 2 cups of the cream mixture into the eggs, then add the egg mixture back into the remaining cream. DO NOT BOIL or the eggs will curdle.

Divide the custard into ramekins or custard cups and place in a shallow baking pan. Add hot water to the pan until the level reaches half way up the custard cups. Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes, or until the custard sets. Chill.

To serve, sprinkle the top of the custards lightly with granulated sugar. You can then caramelize the sugar by placing under a broiler, or carefully with a propane torch.

Bon appetit!

Crab and Roasted Garlic Custard with Shiitake Mushrooms

Serves 6 - 8

Custard: 12 cloves peeled Garlic
2 cups Heavy Cream
4 Egg Yolks
8 oz. High quality Fresh Crab Meat (preferably lump)
1 tsp Kosher Salt
pinch of Nutmeg and White Pepper

Sauce: 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) Unsalted Butter
12 oz. Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms
2 Tbsp Madeira Wine
3 cups Chicken Broth
Salt & White Pepper

Preheat oven to 275 degrees

Wrap garlic cloves in aluminum foil and roast for 20 minutes. Mash the garlic into a paste and combine with cream in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to boil while whisking gently; reduce until the cream is of a consistency to coat the back of a spoon. Cool slightly. Whisk in yolks one at a time and season to taste. Gently fold crabmeat into custard. Divide the mixture into buttered ramekins and place them in a hot water bath in a shallow baking dish. Bake 20 - 30 minutes; until centers set and a knife tip comes away clean.

Melt butter over medium heat and gently sauté mushrooms for 10 minutes. Add Madeira wine and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and simmer until reduced by one third; season with salt and pepper to taste. (This sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and reheated.)

Run a knife around the inside of the ramekins. Turn out onto a warm plate and surround with the mushroom sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped chives or parsley.