Gorgonzola & Leek Crème Brûlée
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Savory Gorgonzola and leek crème brûlée: silky blue cheese custard with sweet sautéed leeks, torched to a bubbling Parmesan crust. An elegant first course that turns brûlée savory.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
12 minCOOK
45 minREADY
60 minThis is crème brûlée flipped on its head. Instead of vanilla cream and caramelized sugar, the custard gets pungent Gorgonzola, sweet sautéed leeks, and fresh dill, torched under a cap of Parmesan instead of sugar. Served hot as a first course, it looks like dessert and tastes like a fondue.
The custard technique follows classic brûlée rules. Whisk the yolks first until pale, then stream in the cream and half-and-half. A gentle bake at 275°F (135°C) in a water bath prevents the custard from breaking, and the 35-40 minute bake time produces the right barely-set wobble.
The water bath is not optional. Custards set at temperatures just above boiling, so any direct oven heat scrambles the eggs before the middle cooks. Warm water buffers the dishes from hot oven air, giving you silky texture end to end.
Torch the grated Parmesan on top instead of sugar for that brûlée finish with a savory twist. The cheese bubbles, browns, and crackles exactly like a sugar crust.
Pro Tips
- Wash the leeks thoroughly. Grit hides deep in their layers and ruins the custard with sand.
- Pour warm (not hot) water for the bath so the custards don’t cook from the bottom before going in the oven.
- The center should still jiggle slightly when you pull them from the oven. Carry-over cooking finishes the set.
- Serve immediately after torching. The cheese crust softens as it cools.
Variations
- Swap Gorgonzola for Stilton, Roquefort, or a mix of blue cheeses.
- Use chives, tarragon, or thyme in place of dill.
- Skip the cheese top and use sugar for a classic brûlée crust on a savory custard.
Ingredients
split lengthwise, washed thoroughly, and sliced crosswise, about 12 ounces total *
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275°F. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the leeks and onion, and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, or until soft.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale in color.
Whisk in the cream and half-and-half.
Mix in the leeks, onions, Gorgonzola, dill or tarragon, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Place six standard-size flan dishes in a baking pan.
Divide the custard mixture among the dishes.
Pour warm water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes.
Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center of each custard still jiggles slightly.
Remove from the oven and lift the dishes from the hot water.
Place the dishes on a baking sheet.
Evenly sprinkle 4 teaspoons grated cheese or 1½ teaspoons sugar over each custard.
Using a hand-held blowtorch, brown the cheese or caramelize the sugar (see note below).
Serve hot.
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