Asparagus-and-Mint Flan With Poached Scallops and Shrimp

Ingredients

The flan and garnish:

• 8 asparagus spears, ends snapped off, tips cut off, halved lengthwise and reserved, stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• ⅓ cup yogurt cheese (see note)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil spray
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

The sauce and shellfish:

• ½ teaspoon olive oil
• ½ pound medium shrimp, in the shell
• ½ pound bay scallops
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1 tomato, cored and chopped
• ½ cup water
• 2 teaspoons heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    264 calories; 14 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 231 milligrams cholesterol; 931 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Four servings

Preparation

1. For the flan, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Steam the asparagus spears until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Place in a food processor and add the cream. Process until smooth. Add the yogurt cheese. Process until smooth, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in the mint. Whisk in the eggs, salt and pepper.
2. Spray 4 6-ounce ramekins with vegetable oil. Divide the mixture among the ramekins. Place in a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake until flan is set, about 30 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the pan and let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, for the sauce and shellfish, heat the 1/2 teaspoon olive oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add the scallops and cook until opaque, about 1 minute longer. With a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and scallops from the pan. Peel the shrimp and reserve the shells. Add the wine to the pan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, to deglaze the pan. Add tomato, water and shrimp shells. Simmer for 15 minutes. Pass sauce through a fine mesh sieve. Place in a clean pan. Add the cream, bring to a boil and cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Set aside.
4. Heat the 1 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus tips and the mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
5. To assemble, run a knife inside the rim of each ramekin to loosen. Invert 1 flan onto each of 4 plates. Warm the sauce over low heat and toss in the shrimp and scallops. Divide among the plates, placing the mixture beside the flans. Place the asparagus tips and mushrooms over and around each flan. Serve immediately.

• To make yogurt cheese, line a sieve with cheesecloth, place over a bowl and place plain lowfat yogurt in the sieve. Refrigerate until yogurt is thick and liquid has drained out, several hours or overnight. Discard the liquid.

50 minutes