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!!