Flan de Choclo (Creamy corn Flan or custard)

Typically Flan is a caramel coated custard dessert but in South America it can also be a savory main dish or side. This is much like a Spanish tortilla, but creamier and fluffier (sorta like a souffle, but with out the worry of if falling, needing to beat egg whites or keep the kids from running and screaming in the kitchen) Growing up our house was more like a morgue when Mom made a souffle!!!

This dish makes a great main dish or side dish.

But to start - it is all about the eggs. We have a flock of about 15 mixed breed hens and one big ole rooster. They (the hens) are laying really well right now! We also have five new babies - three with really wild feathered crests (our punk rock chickens) so the coop is being enlarged to accommodate our growing numbers.



So, step one is to gather the eggs (and I agree with Mollie, nothing beats fresh eggs from happy chickens - we are practically vegan and only eat eggs that we raise - I guess you can call us egg snobs!!!)



Eggs gathered and washed, now on to the recipe - this is my interpretation of a recipe from a book called The South American Table.

You will need:

2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 vidalia onion chopped
2 cups corn kernels - fresh is best but I am using canned white shoepeg corn this time
2 cups soymilk (plain or original)
3-4 large eggs
1/2 tsp sugar
about 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Dash of fresh minced cilantro
margarine and fine bread crumbs



Preheat the oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil and add the onion - saute until transparent. Add the corn and continue to cook for a few minutes more.



Add the milk, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer - let simmer for about 5 minutes - do not boil!



Remove from the heat and let cool for a bit. Pour in a blender and process until all is smooth.



Pour into a mixing bowl and whisk in the eggs. Mix in the minced cilantro.



Butter 4 ramekins and dust with the bread crumbs.



Pour in the egg/corn mixture to about 1/4" from the top.



Place in a backing pan and fill it 1/2 full with water. Place a sheet of foil loosely over the ramekins. Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. These are done when a knife poked into the center comes out clean.



Remove from the oven, let cool a bit. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and un-mold onto a plate. I realized at this point that I forgot the cilantro, but it is optional and just as good without!! Also you may want to un-mold so that the top side is up showing that nice golden top - this one was dumped on the plate upside down!!!



Neil is a big fan of this (this is his third serving) and so am I especially when good fresh corn is available. Lily likes this as well but states that she likes hard boiled eggs better. Todd, he just doesn't like eggs so we don't share with him!!! This is also good cold and we had it for lunch the next day too!

This is also versatile - you can use 2 cups of any assortment of veggies you like - I also do this with carrots and zucchini - great orange color!!

Flan de Choclo (Creamy corn Flan or custard)

Typically Flan is a caramel coated custard dessert but in South America it can also be a savory main dish or side. This is much like a Spanish tortilla, but creamier and fluffier (sorta like a souffle, but with out the worry of if falling, needing to beat egg whites or keep the kids from running and screaming in the kitchen) Growing up our house was more like a morgue when Mom made a souffle!!!

This dish makes a great main dish or side dish.

But to start - it is all about the eggs. We have a flock of about 15 mixed breed hens and one big ole rooster. They (the hens) are laying really well right now! We also have five new babies - three with really wild feathered crests (our punk rock chickens) so the coop is being enlarged to accommodate our growing numbers.



So, step one is to gather the eggs (and I agree with Mollie, nothing beats fresh eggs from happy chickens - we are practically vegan and only eat eggs that we raise - I guess you can call us egg snobs!!!)



Eggs gathered and washed, now on to the recipe - this is my interpretation of a recipe from a book called The South American Table.

You will need:

2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 vidalia onion chopped
2 cups corn kernels - fresh is best but I am using canned white shoepeg corn this time
2 cups soymilk (plain or original)
3-4 large eggs
1/2 tsp sugar
about 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Dash of fresh minced cilantro
margarine and fine bread crumbs



Preheat the oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil and add the onion - saute until transparent. Add the corn and continue to cook for a few minutes more.



Add the milk, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer - let simmer for about 5 minutes - do not boil!



Remove from the heat and let cool for a bit. Pour in a blender and process until all is smooth.



Pour into a mixing bowl and whisk in the eggs. Mix in the minced cilantro.



Butter 4 ramekins and dust with the bread crumbs.



Pour in the egg/corn mixture to about 1/4" from the top.



Place in a backing pan and fill it 1/2 full with water. Place a sheet of foil loosely over the ramekins. Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. These are done when a knife poked into the center comes out clean.



Remove from the oven, let cool a bit. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and un-mold onto a plate. I realized at this point that I forgot the cilantro, but it is optional and just as good without!! Also you may want to un-mold so that the top side is up showing that nice golden top - this one was dumped on the plate upside down!!!



Neil is a big fan of this (this is his third serving) and so am I especially when good fresh corn is available. Lily likes this as well but states that she likes hard boiled eggs better. Todd, he just doesn't like eggs so we don't share with him!!! This is also good cold and we had it for lunch the next day too!

This is also versatile - you can use 2 cups of any assortment of veggies you like - I also do this with carrots and zucchini - great orange color!!

Oven Pancake-- April 2010--Nikki

Okay, guys. This is what I call my loophole meal. It is the sole incarnation of breakfast for dinner that my brinner-hating husband will eat. It is kryptonite. And it is one of the easiest things I've ever made. Check it out, yo.



You will need:

1/4 C butter (half a stick)
1C milk
1C flour
6 eggs (yes, you read that right-- SIX EGGS)

And that's all! First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and then put the butter in a 9x13 pan and put it in the oven to get all melty. As the butter melts, put the remaining three ingredients in a blender and, well, blend.


Remove the now-melted butter from the oven, and pour the batter into the pan, stirring to distribute the butter evenly.


Bake it for 20-25 minutes, and VOILA!



Oh, man... this looks and smells DELICIOUS. And what was the verdict?

In fact, for the first time in awhile, we were ALL THREE clean-plate rangers! WOOO!


In short-- try this. Tomorrow. It is simple, and it is delicious. Sure, it will clog your arteries-- but you'll die HAPPY.

Oven Pancake-- April 2010--Nikki

Okay, guys. This is what I call my loophole meal. It is the sole incarnation of breakfast for dinner that my brinner-hating husband will eat. It is kryptonite. And it is one of the easiest things I've ever made. Check it out, yo.



You will need:

1/4 C butter (half a stick)
1C milk
1C flour
6 eggs (yes, you read that right-- SIX EGGS)

And that's all! First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and then put the butter in a 9x13 pan and put it in the oven to get all melty. As the butter melts, put the remaining three ingredients in a blender and, well, blend.


Remove the now-melted butter from the oven, and pour the batter into the pan, stirring to distribute the butter evenly.


Bake it for 20-25 minutes, and VOILA!



Oh, man... this looks and smells DELICIOUS. And what was the verdict?

In fact, for the first time in awhile, we were ALL THREE clean-plate rangers! WOOO!


In short-- try this. Tomorrow. It is simple, and it is delicious. Sure, it will clog your arteries-- but you'll die HAPPY.

Eggs in a Nest

This recipe is extremely versatile, almost effortless, and wholesomely good. I like to make it on busy week nights. Leftovers are also good for wraps. This recipe always makes me happy because it is so colorful.
The inspiration came from Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. You can get the original recipe from http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/


Ingredients vary every time I make this dish, but the staple is swiss chard, eggs, garlic, and carrot. I love swiss chard! It works really well with root vegetables, even beets (another of my favs).
okay this is what I used this time to make 1.5 servings :
2 green onions, sliced white and green parts
minced garlic
1 carrot, chopped
a handful of mushrooms, sliced
1 sweet potato, cut into chunks
half of a tomato, chopped
half bunch of swish chard, chopped coarsely
2 eggs

I cooked my sweet potato for a minute or so in the microwave to soften a bit, then I sauteed onion, carrot and sweet potato in olive oil for a few minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and continue to saute until veggies are crisp tender.Add tomato and swish chard, mix well and cover for a few minutes.Uncover pan, stir all the veggies, and make depression in the the mix. I found it works best to have less stuff under the eggs. Crack 2 eggs into the depressions and cover the pan for ~3 to 5 minutes to poach the eggs.Remove from eat and salivate until you get this in your mouth! To make it a heartier dish serve over brown rice. Everything is immensely better with Lizano sauce so pour it on and enjoy.Other combinations of veggies I have used are beets, yellow onions, brussel sprouts, and yukon gold potatoes. Another great way to do this dish is to use leftover roasted veggies, just reheat in pan and add your eggs.
We all need something delicious and simple some times.