Is in the eating! We all know that, by experience and by the old saying.
Last week cooled off and as promised put on the oven to try the Cubans Cuban recipe for the flan. It also helped that I was cooking dinner for 6 and had to make dessert anyway. Thank goodness or I would eaten it all by myself! I could have - that is the sad part.
The result! Hmmm! The original flan I cooked had the lovely cinnamon and a hint of lemon flavours and was light in texture, delicious, but essentially did not really reflect the true Cuban taste I had experienced.
The Cubans recipe, richer, heavier, sweeter, more intense but definitely the taste of Cuba that I remembered plus easier to make!
They both looked very similar, the caramel, the baking time and method the same. The original would and did feed 6, the Cubans at least 8, possibly 10 due to the richness! Both with ice cream of course!!
The Recipes:
The Caramel (for both styles)
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
Gently heat sugar and water until sugar is dissolved, dont stir
Raise temperature and using wet pastry brush clean sugar granules down from side of pan
Boil gently until syrup is a golden colour, take off heat and carefully pour into the base of a glass or metal baking tin (around 22cm).
Oven and baking method:
Temperature 180 degrees (moderate)
Prepare a roasting dish by placing flan dish in it filling with water until half way up the the side.
Both flans take around 1 hour but test at 45 - 50 minutes by inserting a knife in the centre of the flan and when it come out clean flan is cooked. (too long and it will be rubbery).
If the top starts getting too brown, cover with some baking paper.
The Original:
3/4 cup sugar
3 whole eggs,
3 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (or 1 pod)
Peel of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
Bring milk to the boil with lemon peel, opened vanilla pod, (if using) cinnamon stick and salt
Remove from heat and cool
Beat together eggs, yolks, vanilla essence and sugar
Pour into warm milk
Strain into baking dish over caramel base.
Bake in water bath as above and when cooled invert onto a plate and serve (with lots of really good ice cream)!!!
The Cubans:
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
Beat eggs and milk(s) together
Strain over caramel base in baking dish, place into water bath
Bake and serve as above.
Good with fresh sliced mango!
Too easy!!!!!!!!!!!
I continue to have an over abundance of vegetables in the garden, the corn has been commented upon, by the lucky few who have shared it with me, as the best they have ever tasted. I lovingly peel back the leaves to check if they are ready to pick and if not, lovingly replace the leaves and wait for another day. I pick the zucchini daily whilst it is at baby stage and the beans are still growing quicker than I can pick them. They get a morning bath before the sun gets to them and then in the evening a little cool down. I wonder if they will miss me when I am gone?
Have planted more beetroot (the last 6 are in the fridge but keep for ages) and the new lettuce seedlings are doing well, planted in 2 stages so I don't have to eat lettuce for breakfast, lunch and dinner! The eggplants!!! What a beautiful shape and colour, like a piece of art, edible art thank goodness. The taste parallels the aesthetics. Delicious grilled on the BBQ and next week I shall make some spicey chutney with them as the chilies are looking splendid.
So tonights dinner is going to be zucchini and corn fritters with poached eggs (with a bit of smoked salmon on top) Trial and error as I cant remember the recipe I devised last week but will write it down tonight and post it if it is successful!
All of the veggies I am growing are found in abundance, both quantity and variety, in the markets of Cambodia, where I am heading in March. 4 weeks of volunteer English teaching at Grace House Community Centre in Siem Reap. I am very excited about returning both for the teaching and for my foray into the markets and the challenge of finding willing participants in my cooking plan! Fortunately for me I have a few contacts there and shall exploit them for their cooking knowledge!
The volunteer work is something else. It is such a wonderful experience being able to share the lives of these delightful people and their willingness to let us do so. It really is something to be grateful for. I came home from my previous experience having gained far more than I felt I gave. I didn't expect to get anything personally out of the experience but was truly mistaken.
In the mean time I am heading off to Queensland to participate in a hens week away! What happened to the night out? Have been told to take heels but I am thinking I will look a bit silly tottering on the beach and swimming in high heels, but whatever the bride-to-be wants, she will get! Hopefully I will be able to coerce some information on cooking good seafood from the local fisherman.
My last job of the day in the garden is to move a heap of stones and rocks that the plumbers unearthed whilst digging the trench for the new garden taps. Luckily it is now too hot and I am already sunburnt from the 5 hours work before lunch so next time ..........
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