Easter Sunday Brunch--Spicy Roasted Eel Kedgeree and Caramel Custard

Do these two dishes go together? Probably not. But they're both egg dishes; and I had the ingredients in the house. This year, there was no preplanning for the holiday meal, and I had no intention of running to the grocery store in the pouring rain and thunder storms we've been having today!

I had intended to served the kedgeree first and then the caramel custard as kind of a dessert, but the custard got done first, so we had custard followed by the main course!

If you're not familiar with kedgeree it is a dish that arose from the British Raj, usually incorporating boiled rice, flaked fish, and boiled eggs. I've found most recipes to be somewhat bland for my taste (as someone who loves Asian food, there's not much Asian about most kedgeree) and developed a version this morning that has a little bit more of a punch! Kedgeree is traditionally served for breakfast or High Tea. We served ours with oolong tea for breakfast.

Caramel Custard

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 TB sugar for the caramel

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Set out 4 ramekins.
• Heat a teapot of water.
• Spread the sugar for the caramel evenly on the bottom of a sauce pan, and melt the sugar over medium low heat, never stirring, just tilting the pan back and forth.

• Pour the sugar into the bottom of the ramekins.
• Heat the milk and vanilla together in another saucepan until nearly boiling.
• Whisk together the eggs and the sugar.
• Pour the heated milk into the eggs in a slow steady stream, while whisking quickly.
• Strain the milk and egg mixture into the ramekins, over the caramel.
• Set the 4 ramekins in a broiling pan and pour the hot water from the teapot 1/2 the way up the outside of the ramekins.
• Place the broiling pan in the oven and cook for 40 minutes.
• Cool the custards and then place them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours (or if you're like me and like hot custard as well, eat 'em right away).
• Run a knife around the edge of the custard, place a plate on top, turn upside down and let the caramel run down the custard.

Spicy Roasted Eel Kedgeree

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 TB vegetable oil
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 whole dried red pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 small carrot (in honor of the Easter Bunny), diced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 3.5 oz can roasted eel (I get mine at the local Korean market)
• 2 Easter eggs, roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Directions:

• Pour the rice into a bowl large enough to contain the rice and the cup of water.
• Pour the boiling water over the rice and cover with a saucer; let sit for 20 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan and stirfry the spices and red pepper for 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic, onion, and carrot and saute until soft.
• Drain the rice and add to the saucepan.
• Saute for 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Cover tightly and cook for 25 minutes.
• Uncover, add the eel (break the eel up into smaller pieces) and the eggs and heat until warm.
• Add salt and pepper.