Steamed Egg Custard with Blue Crab and Flowering Chives
A delicate Japanese-Chinese fusion dish combining silky steamed egg custard with sweet jumbo lump crabmeat and flowering chives. The custard is enriched with dashi stock, cream, and seasonings for a luxurious savory flavor.
Ingredients
- •3 whole large dried Chinese black mushrooms
- •2⅓ cups water
- •1 piece kombu
- •2 tablespoons bonito flakes
- •6 whole large eggs
- •¼ cup heavy cream
- •1½ teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- •1½ teaspoons dry Oloroso Sherry
- •1½ teaspoons soy sauce
- •1 teaspoon kosher salt
- •¼ teaspoon sugar
- •½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- •18 whole flowering Chinese chives
- •½ pound jumbo lump crabmeat
- •½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- •¼ teaspoon sugar
- •¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- •1½ teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- •1 tablespoon dry Oloroso Sherry
- •1 pinch white pepper
- •8 pieces bowls or ramekins
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Simmer mushrooms in water in a small saucepan 5 minutes, then let steep off heat 10 minutes. Add kombu and return just to a simmer. Turn off heat and add bonito flakes, then let steep 10 minutes. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or glass measure, discarding solids. Cool dashi to room temperature.
30 min
- 2.
Beat eggs and 1 1/2 cups cooled dashi in a medium bowl, then whisk in remaining custard ingredients.
5 min
- 3.
Divide among bowls. Cover each tightly with foil and arrange in a steamer rack. Steam, covered, over simmering water until just barely set in center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let stand, covered, 2 to 3 minutes. (Custard will continue to set.)
13 min
- 4.
Blanch chives in a medium pot of boiling salted water 30 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Pat chives dry. Cut into 3/4-inch pieces and gently combine with crab and remaining ingredients.
5 min
- 5.
Top warm custards with crab mixture.
2 min
