When one thinks of flan, fava beans are hardly ever in the picture. That said, this is the type of flan that can turn some heads and change more than a few minds about flan. Here fresh, flavorful fava beans are transformed into a delicate custard adding a versatile, nutty flavor that is perfect for layering with similarly savory ingredients. The dish is elevated with a Truffle Zest® & Cheese cream and served alongside salty and sweet Patanegra Ham.
Ingredients:
1 kg fava beans
1 liter whole milk
2 eggs
200 g heavy cream, separated
50 g pecorino cheese
50 g parmesan cheese
50 g Truffle Zest® & Cheese seasoning
10 slices Jamon Serrano or Iberico Ham
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C.
- In a medium saucepan, combine fava beans and milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to gentle simmer and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Once fava beans are cooking, use an immersion blender to blend the mixture to a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Next, remove ½ cup of fava bean mixture and add to a bowl along with 2 eggs and about ½ cup (100g) of heavy cream and whip until incorporated, then scoop into buttered ring molds or ramekins placed in a larger vessel to keep the contents contained.
- Bake in oven for 8 minutes then remove from oven and let cool.
- While the flans cool, prepare the pecorino sauce by combining 100g (about ½ cup) heavy cream with 50g of pecorino cheese, 50g of grated parmesan, and 50 g of Truffle Zest® & Cheese in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil.
- Once boiling, blend sauce with an immersion blend and then strain to a fine-meshed sieve to ensure the sauce is smooth with no lumps.
- To finish, take a deep place and spread the pecorino sauce at the base, then heat the flan for 30 seconds in the microwave.
- Place flan on top of pecorino sauce, then drizzle additional sauce over the flan.
- Finally, arrange slices of ham around the flan and serve. Enjoy!
