Mud season in Maine calls for comfort food. Something rich and soothing… something made with eggs.The canon of egg cookery, from scrambled eggs on toast to that mainstay of potlucks and picnics—devilled eggs, reads like a well-loved nursery tale. Eggs are what we want when we are tired, or recovering from the flu, or in need of a nourishing breakfast to get through the day.
Eggs are considered to be nature’s most perfect food; unfortunately they have gotten a bad rap for their cholesterol content. Good quality eggs are an economical source of complete protein and important vitamins and minerals, and they look as good as they taste. When cracked into a bowl, a fresh egg has a dark yellow yolk that stands up roundly, with a white that holds its shape around the yolk.
The eggs in a favorite bowl on my kitchen table will soon go into a caramel custard—my favorite comfort food. The eggs are beautiful shades of white, buff and a glazed blue-green, like Chinese porcelain. Their shapes vary too—from pointed to plump. Here is the rich diversity our grandparents took for granted. These fertilized “Rainbow” eggs come from Mitra Luick of New Sharon. Her flock of Leghorns, Auracana crosses and Barred Rocks live in comfortable circumstances: heated coops, plowed runs for fresh air and exercise in winter. She supplements their feed with cultured raw-milk curd, crushed eggshells and garlic to boost their immune systems and overall vigor. In summer, her birds eat very little grain, preferring their natural diet of bugs. It’s no wonder their eggs are delicious.
Caramel Custard
Made with eggs, milk and sugar, caramel custard is an old-fashioned treat or an elegant dessert. Its success depends upon the freshest ingredients. When I can get it, I use Jersey milk for its luscious cream content, and always the freshest eggs. The following recipe is for 6 individual custards, baked in custard cups or wide-mouth ½ pint canning jars. For a special occasion or a larger group, double the custard recipe and bake in a 1 ½ quart soufflé or all-purpose baking dish for 1 hour. The caramel recipe given here is enough to line the large dish.
1. The Caramel
(this step can be done several days in advance)
½ cup sugar
Prep time: 20 minutes
Pour the sugar evenly over the bottom of a heavy skillet on medium heat. As the sugar begins to melt, swirl the pan now and then, so it melts evenly. Do not stir, or allow it to burn. When the sugar is fully liquid and the color of dark tea, pour it quickly to coat the bottoms of 6 custard cups or canning jars. If it hardens into a lump, never mind—in cooking it will even out. Let cool. When you are ready to make the custard, lightly butter the sides of the cups or jars.
2. The Custard
Prep time: 20 minutes
Preheat oven to 350 F
2 cups whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
Heat the milk and vanilla bean in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the milk steams and bubbles form around the edge. Immediately remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Remove the bean after 10 minutes; rinse and dry for reuse.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in sugar, and vanilla extract if not using bean. Continue to whisk, very slowly adding the hot milk, until the sugar has dissolved. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl.
Pour ½ cup of the custard into each of the caramelized cups or jars, and set them in a pan in the center of the oven. Fill the pan with warm water to 1”, and bake until a knife inserted in the center of the custard comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Remove custards from water bath, and cool thoroughly. (You may refrigerate them overnight and unmold the next day.) To unmold, run a thin knife carefully around the edge of the custard and turn it out onto a plate. Drizzle the caramel remaining in the baking dish over the custard, and serve.
6 ½ cup servings
