Quebecois Crab Custard With Lemon Butter Sauce

Elmotoo's Note:

Quebec snow crab is combined with broccoli, oven-poached and served on a sauce, nouveau cuisine fashion. This appetizer is the creation of Chef Denis Pelletier of Moulin de St. Laurent, a contemporary French restaurant located in an old stone mill in the village of St. Laurent on Ile d'Orleans. Ramekins can be filled ahead and oven poached at the last minute, or you can reheat the cooked flan in a microwave oven for about 2 minutes at Medium (50 percent).

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 bunch broccoli , small florets
• ½ lb crabmeat , trimmed of cartilage (fresh or frozen)
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup whipping cream
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch white pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

• ½ cup white wine
• 1 shallot , finely chopped
• 1 cup butter , cut in pieces
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• 1 lemon, juice of

Directions:

1. Cook broccoli florets in boiling salted water just until tender-crisp; drain.
2. Generously brush 6 to 8 ramekin or custard cups with melted butter.
3. Divide crab meat with broccoli among the ramekins. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream and milk; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. Fill ramekins three-quarters full with the custard and set in a shallow pan of hot water. Oven poach for 1 hour at 325F or until set. (A knife inserted in centre should come out clean.).
5. Make Lemon Butter Sauce and pour onto 6 to 8 serving plates. Run a knife around the edge of each ramekin and un mold onto sauce.
6. Lemon Butter Sauce:.
7. In small saucepan, heat wine and chopped shallot.
8. Bring to a boil and reduce over medium-high heat until only 2 tablespoons of liquid remain.
9. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until sauce is smooth and all the butter is incorporated. Whisk in cream and lemon juice.
10. Keep warm in the top of a double boiler set over hot water until serving time.

Reviews

[Sheynath]

What a decadent supper! This is wonderful, the delicate, soft custard full of delicious crabmeat and the lemon sauce highlights it nicely.