1. To
cook the pumpkin: Heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Discard
seeds and fibers and cut the pumpkin in 2-3 pieces, including
the rind. Sprinkle with salt, put the pieces in a baking dish
with the water for steam and cover tightly with foil. Bake in
the oven until the pumpkin flesh is very tender, 25-35 minutes.
2.
When tender, let the pumpkin cool slightly, then scoop out the
flesh and purée it in a processor, or using an immersion
blender. Strain it and measure 250ml/8fl oz/1 cup. Leave the
oven on. Mix the eggs and yolk in a bowl and stir them into the
pumpkin. Stir in the milk and cream. Taste and season the
mixture quite highly with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
3.
Butter the ramekins, pour in the pumpkin mixture, filling the
ramekins to the top. Set the ramekins in a water bath. Bring the
water to a boil on top of the stove, transfer the bath to the
oven and bake until the flans are set and wobble only slightly
in the center when shaken, 25-30 minutes. A skewer inserted in
the center should come out clean. Meanwhile braise the leeks.
4.
When the flans are set, lift the ramekins from the water bath
and let them cool 5 minutes. Reheat the leeks if necessary and
spread them on warm individual plates. Turn out the flans onto
the leeks, and serve.
Shortcut: Use canned pumpkin purée. The flan will not be
quite as light and fresh-tasting, but good all the same.
Getting Ahead: Bake the flans and sauté the leeks up to a
day ahead and keep them tightly covered in the refrigerator.
Warm both on top of the stove, using a water bath for the flans.
In
the Glass: This recipe says Italy to me, so let’s set the
scene with a soft Valpolicella or a more robust Barbaresco from
Piedmont.
This Recipe of the Month
selection comes from Anne Willan's newest release: Good Food
No Fuss (2003) published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang.
