Conference turris::cooks

    [From an unknown newspaper - an old clipping I pasted into my
    looseleaf cookbook.]
    
    Flan is a big favorite in Mexico and it is made with several
    flavorings.  The simple flan with the caramel coating is still numero
    uno and I doubt there is a restaurant in the republic who does not
    have flan as a standard feature on its menu.

    1 1/2 cups sugar		1/8 teaspoon salt
    1 quart milk		4 whole eggs
    2 teaspoons vanilla		6 egg yolks
    
       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a heavy-bottomed saucepan
    heat 3/4 cup of the sugar over a moderately high heat.  Stir for
    8 to 10 minutes or until sugar has melted and turns a golden caramel
    color.  Pour into a mold and quickly coat the sides and bottom of
    the mold.  Syrup will harden rapidly, so you must be fast.  Set
    aside to cool;  it will harden like toffee but soften in baking.
    [Suggestion: pour hot water in the caramel saucepan right after
    you pour out the caramel, or it'll be very hard to clean.]
       Put milk in another saucepan with remaining sugar, vanilla, and
    salt and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Milk will reduce some.  Cool
    milk mixture, beat eggs with egg yolks, stir into cooled milk and
    pour all into coated mold.  Place mold in a pan containing water
    deep enough to come halfway up the sides of the mold and bake in
    preheated oven.  (In a flat pan this will take closer to 2 hours.)
    [Hmmm. doesn't give timing for mold - I'd expect 15 min more or
    less than flat pan.  Test to be sure.]  Remove from oven when knife
    inserted in the center of the flan comes out clean.
       Cool baked flan and then refrigerate.  Bring to room temperature
    before unmolding and serving.  If flan does not slither around pan
    and unmold easily, put mold in a little warm water to release the
    caramel from the mold.  Serve inverted with the caramel on top.

    [this isn't *really* a flan, but it's a similar type of confection
    and the picture I have is enticing.  I've never tried this one.]
    
    sugar				2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    6 eggs				1/4 teaspoon salt
    2 1/2 cups milk			lemon slice (optional)
    1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
    
    Early in day:  Preheat oven to 350 deg F.  Butter a 2-quart casserole.
     In a heavy small skillet over low heat, heat 1/2 cup sugar, stirring
    constantly, until it melts and turns amber color; pour immediately
    into casserole; cool slightly.
     In large bowl, with wire whisk or hand beater, but until well mixed
    3/4 cup sugar and remaining ingredients except lemon slice; pour
    into casserole.
     Set 13 by 9 inch baking pan on oven rack; place casserole in pan
    and fill pan halfway with very hot tap water.  Bake 1 hour or until
    knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove casserole from
    water and refrigerate to chill
    
    To Serve:  Invert custard onto plate, allowing syrup to run from
    casserole.  Garnish with lemon (the picture shows a thin slice
    cut cross ways from the lemon, cut between segments so that it
    looks like a daisy - hard to explain - put right in the middle
    of the caramel on top of the custard.)  Makes 6-8 servings.

    As for the various flavorings, I'd expect you could experiment
    with various liquers and different spices and perhaps different
    citrus flavors (orange or lime instead of lemon?).  Perhaps the
    liquers would work in the caramel - anyone know if this works?
    Or would extracts (like rum extract) work better?
    
    --Louise

Here is a microwave flan recipe which is fairly easy and quick. It's
out of the General Electric Microwave Cookbook. I've made it and it
turns out pretty good.   -Dick

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                         Caramel Flan
 
1/2 cu water                            1/2 cu sugar

      In a 1-pt glass measure place water and sugar, stirring well. 
Microwave on high 10 to 12 minutes until light but rich brown.(Do not 
let syrup get too dark). Pour 3/4 of the caramel syrup into a 1 1/2 
quart cassarole and quickly rotate the cassarole to coat bottom and 
about half way  up the sides with caramel. Let cool to harden before 
adding custard. Drizzle remaining 1/4 of the syrup in fine ribbons 
onto an ungreased cookie sheet to harden.
     Prepare custard in a small mixing bowl. Pour or strain mixture 
into caramel lined cassarole. Cover with cassarole lid (this step is 
important). Microwave on low 10 to 13 minutes, rotating dish 1/4 turn 
every 3 minutes, until set. Chill thoroughly. Unmold onto a serving 
plate which has a shallow rim. Crush the syrup which has hardened 
into a brittle (on cookie sheet) and sprinkle in a wreath shape over 
top of flan.                               Makes 4 to 6 servings

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                            Custard

3 Eggs                                  1 t Vanilla
1/4 cu sugar                            1/8 t salt
1 1/2 cu milk

     In a 1 1/2 quart cassarole beat eggs, sugar, and salt with table 
fork until very well blended and sugar is disolved. Place milk in 
glass measure. Microwave on high 4 minutes, until scalded. Gradually 
add to egg mixture, stirring well.

	I now this is an old note, but I have the "original"
Puertorican Flan recipe.  This recipe doesn't use any sugar 
(except for the caramel!) but has 14 ozs. of condensed milk 
instead.  Giving it a lot more "texture" or consistency.

			I hope you like it!




		Original Milk Flan or Coconut Flan
		----------------------------------
		  (Flan de Leche o Flan de Coco)


Caramel Ingredients:
--------------------

   3 Tablespoons sugar
   1 Tablespoon water


Flan Ingredients:
-----------------

   4 eggs, separated
     pinch of salt
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  14 ozs. condensed milk
   6 ozs. evaporated milk
   6 ozs. milk
* 18 ozs. Grated coconut in extra heavy syrup


Caramel Procedure:
------------------

	1.  Put sugar in mold and add water.
	    Put mold in the burner in high heat until light golden brown.
	    Put mold at side.

Flan Procedure:
---------------

	1.  Beat egg white until it reaches meringue point.
	    Then add the rest of ingredients one by one.
	    In every addition mix well.

	2.  Add the mix in the mold and Bake in 375 for 45

	    minutes or 1 hour in a bain-Marie.


Note:  bain-Marie = double boiler
       * = optional (only if you want to make Coconut Flan)

             <<<<   "PUERTO RICAN CHESSE CAKE"   >>>>>>
    
    
    INGREDIENTES:
    
    3    EGGS 
    8oz. PHILADELFIA CREAM CHESSE
    5    SLICES OF BREAD (CUT THE EDGES)
    1    SPOON OF BUTTER
    1    CAN OF EVAPORATED MILK (APROX.8oz)
    1/2  CUP MILK
    1    CUP OF SUGAR
    
    INSTRUCTIONS:
    
    MIX ALL INGREDIENTES IN A BLENDER AND POUR IN A RECIPIENTE WITH
    *CARAMEL. BAKES ON STOVE IN VAPOR CASSEROLE FOR APROX. 45 MINS.
    LET COOL AND TURN OVER ON PLATE. (EAT COLD)
    
    *INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CARAMEL:
    
    1 CUP OF SUGAR
    2 TSP. OF WATER
    
    IN THE SAME RECIPIENT WHERE YOU WANT TO BAKE THE CAKE, PUT THE
    SUGAR AND THE WATER. PLACE ON STOVE (MEDIUM RANGE) STIR FREQUENTLY
    UNTIL THE SUGAR TURNS BROWN AND THE MIX SMOOTH. LET COOL; THEN
    POUR THE CAKE MIX.
    
    AS WE SAY IN PUERTO RICO....    
    
                            ***EXITO!!!***
    
    
    ORIGINAL FROM AGNES FELICIANO  (DEC AGO PUERTO RICO) 
    
               (ANY OTHER SIMILIAR IS JUST COINCIDENCE)
     
                     

    I was wondering if someone could point me to the "right" rice recipe if
    it exists in this notes file.  What I'm looking for is a Spanish Rice
    recipe.  My friend from Puerto Rico use to make a delicious rice that I
    think contained tomatoes and spices.  I don't know what spices he used
    and he could have brought them back from Puerto Rico. All I know is
    that the rice was sticky, had a tomatoe look and taste, with a little
    zip, and was delicious.  Does anyone have a recipe for this rice?
    I did a search on title=rice and got a million things listed so if this
    recipe is in this notes file somewhere, I'd appreciate if someone could
    point me to the right note.
    
    Thanks,
    Donna

Hi Donna!

I make a real cheater's version of spanish rice that comes out great every time.

I use 1 cup of store bought mild (or medium hot) salsa plus one cup water, 
with once cup rice.  Cook it like you would regular rice.  It isn't the real 
authentic stuff, but it's a close second.  Make sure you use a chunky style 
salsa.  My favorite is PACE brand.


							-JP