Any success while hunting for morels? Then you surely must attempt this exquisite dish with them. Remember: They also dry nicely, to be used mid-winter when you desire a musky taste of wet summer hills the most.
8 ounces fresh wild mushrooms, such as morels, washed and stemmed, and chopped.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus some for the mold
2/3 cup coarsely chopped peeled and cooked potatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Have a kettle of boiling water ready to use during the baking of the flan.
Place the mushrooms in a sauté pan and cook over high heat to evaporate any water left from cleaning. Add the butter and lower the heat. Sauté for several minutes, until the mushrooms are softened but still hold their shape.
Season the potatoes with salt, pepper and thyme. Generously butter a 4-cup ring mold (or 8 individual ½-cup custard cups) and set it in a roasting pan or cake pan.
Combine the milk and cream in a small saucepan and heat until just steaming to scald. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes or so. It should be very warm but not scalding hot. Slowly pour it into a bowl with the eggs and egg yolks, whisking constantly. Season well with salt and pepper and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher.
Pour a bit of the custard mixture into the prepared mold (or custard cups). Spoon the mushrooms and potatoes over the custard and pour in the remaining custard. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan to bring the level of the water about two-thirds of the way up the side of the mold.
Cover the roasting pan with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife inserted halfway down into the custard comes out clean. Do not over bake; the custard will continue to cook after it is removed from the oven. Let rest for 5 minutes in the mold, then unmold by running a knife around the edge and inverting the mold onto a plate. Serve warm.
Recipe from : American Artisanal, by Rebecca Gray
