This recipe was given to me by a very nice French lady that I met at a dinner party last week. The ones she made were bite sized and absolutely delicious! I thought I would try them as a full sized appetizers with saffron sauce, to be included at my next dinner party. Worked. Thank you Laurence!
Finally snowed last night. So of course I asked Jade if she wanted to walk the dog this morning. Mommy Dearest 🙂
This is a very easy recipe. A microwave is involved and the saffron sauce can be made while the flans are baking.
Red Pepper and Feta Flan with Saffron Sauce
1 large red bell pepper cut in half
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
3 ounces cream
3 ounces feta, cut into four squares
2 tbsp butter
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp saffron
1 cup cream
Salt and pepper
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp chives, chopped
Microwave the pepper for about 6 minutes, then blend in a food processor or blender and allow to cool. Add the onion, garlic, olive oil and blend. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, the cream mixed with the cornstarch and blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture into 4 ramekins, dropping a square of feta into each. Fill a baking pan half way up with water and put the ramekins inside(bain-marie). Bake the flans in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 35 minutes.
While the flans are baking, saute the shallots in the butter until soft, add the wine and reduce the liquid by half. Add the mustard, saffron, cream, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Remove from flame and add the tomato and chives.
To serve, unmold the the flans onto serving plates and pour the saffron sauce over.
Bite-size or appetizer-size, these sound wonderful and look good too. I don’t use a microwave so I’d probably cook the peppers in the oven which would take a little longer, but it will be worth it, I think. And you’ve got snow! I think we’re the only area of France that hasn’t. I’m glad because I don’t like it much.
I like a little snow and am disappointed when we don’t have at least one snow fall during the winter. However, it shouldn’t carry on too long 🙂
The flans were great, plain, as finger food without the sauce but the sauce with a larger flan was good also!
Awesome looking recipe – VERY original! Don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it. I wish I did more dinner parties, you do lead a good life. Enjoy the snow!
Thanks Frugal. The French make such interesting, off the American beaten path, dishes. It’s exciting to try them.
Red bell pepper and feta pair so well.
beautiful and tasty dish!
Thank you Jen!
What a cool appetizer! Love the blurred shot of Jade in the snow. Great looking dog!
It was either blurred dog or blurred Jade. I chose the dog; Jade always gets her picture in the blog. It was Sheba’s turn.
I’ve never heard of savory flan! What a wonderful idea! It looks absolutely beautiful and would be perfect for a dinner party!
You might want to check out these two French flans http://cookinginsens.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/white-asparagus-and-leek-flan/
http://cookinginsens.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/jades-broccoli-and-bleu-dauvergne-flan/
Fantastic! A lovely idea for a starter. And what a darling gal her dog. Precious.
thank you Karista
Thats a great appetizer, I will try this someday
Thank you
Oh yes please, I’m liking the look and sound of these. Not a big fan of feta so will use a different cheese as I’m a big cheese lover generally. The sauce sounds delicious too.
No snow for us in Spain, still lovely blue skies, but it’s damn cold!!!!!
What kind of cheese would you use? I’m interested.
These look divine!
Thank you Anastasia. I am pleased with the way the saffron sauce worked with this.
What a lovely recipe – a kind of never fails soufflée! Will def be doing a version of this. And what a great photo of Jade and Sheba…both are very beautiful! We´ve not had snow here in the last few years, so my dogs don´t know what it is 😉
Thank you Chica. Our young kitten was fascinated with the snow
Nice. was just reading something about cooked red peppers. Never have seen them in flan form, but great idea.
What a wonderful combination, you are always having great ideas, I just love this one!
Thank you katya
Oh my goodness, this looks so wonderful
Thank you, it was fun to make.
about how many “appetizer size” flans does this make? I am planning on making these for the starter to my Valentine’s dinner so I only need two. They look delicious!
Thank you. This makes 4. Good luck!