Roasted Broccoli Flan

Posted On 6 Comments

I  have a mental mantra about food. Be inquisitive, be inspired, be unafraid.

I ask lots of questions, from chefs, waitstaff and cooks. What is in this? How did you cook it? Did you use a water bath?

And so it was at Bayona, in the French Quarter, New Orleans when I tasted an exquisite jewel of a broccoli flan, creamy and so fresh; complimented with a tomato vinaigrette drizzled over a herbed goat cheese crostini. This flan, unlike an Italian sformato, which is dense with ricotta, was light and sans florets. The color was vibrant green. Inspired.

On this winter’s day the rich flavor of roasted mixed vegetables was on my mind. My darling dear often asks, “What on earth, are you doing?” when I get into the creative throws of invention.  “Oh, just making a broccoli side dish,” I reply.

Roasted Vegetables

This recipe has multiple stages, perfectly roast the chopped vegetables, stir and whisk a beautiful Béchamel sauce, blend and puree to the just right consistency and cook delicately in a gentle water bath. To complicate matters further, I decided to separate the broccoli and roasted garlic from the peppers and eggplant creating two layers of flavor and colors.

Roasted Vegetable Flan in pan

Letting it cool a bit before inverting onto a plate. While I am waiting I cut a fresh tomato, remove the seeds and whisk together a bright vinaigrette with a good olive oil and Champagne vinegar, salt and pepper. Adding one more chopped tomato as garnish before drizzling and serving with small florets of fresh broccoli or spring salad.

Roasted Broccoli Flan

A little something acidic helps to contrast the rich creamy flavor don’t you think?

broccoli-flan-3739-2

 Recipe

5.0 from 1 reviews
Roasted Broccoli Flan
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Rich, distinct layers of roasted vegetables in a creamy flan topped with a bright tomato vinaigrette. Great for an appetizer or side dish.
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Ingredients
Vegetables
  • Olive Oil
  • 2 ½ cups roasted broccoli
  • ½ cup roasted yellow and orange peppers
  • ½ cup roasted carrots
  • 1 cup roasted eggplant
  • 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Truffle Flavored Olive Oil
Bechamel Sauce (4 cups)
  • 2 ounces unsalted butter (¼ cup)
  • 3 ounces all purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk (I used 2% fat)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
Prep
  1. Do ahead: Roast a large batch of chopped fresh broccoli, peppers, 1 small peeled eggplant, carrots and garlic drizzled with olive oil until caramelized and fork tender.
  2. Cook about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.
  3. Make Bechamel Sauce while vegetables are roasting.
  4. Boil 4 cups water for water bath, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Butter ramekins or spray with non-stick vegetable spray.
Directions
  1. Separate broccoli from other vegetables and place in food processor (or blender) with 2 cloves of roasted garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt. Puree, add a tablespoon of olive oil if too pasty. Set aside.
  2. Put carrots, peppers, and eggplant in food processor with 2 cloves of garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon Truffle flavored oil and puree.
  3. Add olive oil as necessary to create a smooth consistency. Set aside.
Sauce
  1. Beat eggs and added yolk in small bowl.
  2. In a medium sauce pan melt butter over medium heat until foamy, sprinkle in flour and whisk together and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden.
  3. Slowly pour in milk and continue whisking until fully incorporated. Continue to cook and stir until mixture is thick.
  4. Remove from heat and let mixture cool a couple minutes before adding eggs and whisking together. Tip: Temper the eggs by adding a bit of the warm sauce to them, stirring together to increase their temperature before adding to the milk sauce.
  5. Add Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and stir to blend thoroughly.
  6. If making a two layer flan divide sauce in half (2 cups each) and puree with each vegetable mixture separately until you get a smooth creamy consistency.
  7. Pour equal measure of flan mixture into each ramekin, making layers, filling the dish ¾ full.
  8. Place ramekins in a large deep baking pan with good space around each one and add hot water to measure about half way up the sides of the flans.
  9. Cook uncovered for 35-45 minutes until they are golden on the top and a knife inserted come out clean.
  10. Remove carefully from water bath and cool on rack. May be served warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Broccoli Flan

My inspiration, which I will make one day as closely as possible to match the wonderful taste from Bayona, New Orleans.

Broccoli Flan

Links

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Tagged with →  

6 Responses to Roasted Broccoli Flan

  1. Azu says:

    Great idea! I love to use vegetable in more dishes

  2. Simone says:

    That looks amazing Robin. I have to do that more often; ask questions when out for dinner but I can get a little shy at times or simply forget to ask….:) This is no doubt a great creation!

  3. Lori H. says:

    I had something similar to this on my last trip to Florence. It was very creamy, smooth and delicious. They served it with a béchamel sauce over the flan. Your recipe, after 2 days of searching on the internet, was the closest to what I thought the restaurant served.
    I have made this recipe three times now and have had RAVE reviews from everyone. I have adapted it slightly. I use summer vegetables finely chopped and sautéed, instead of roasting. I then puree them and add to the ramekins. They have turned out wonderfully every time.

    This recipe is a family and friend favorite. Thank you for your recipe.

    • Robin E. H. Ove says:

      Thanks Lori! I am so happy you’ve tried this and made it your own. I so appreciate your comments and feedback. Happy Cooking!
      – Robin

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  


Google