Lifestyle // Food

Recipe: Savory Cilantro Chamoy Flan

Flan shows its savory side in this herby custard laced with salty, sour and spicy funk thanks to a chamoy glaze.

1/2 cup chamoy

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup thinly sliced cherry tomatoes

1 thinly sliced serrano chile

4 cilantro sprigs

Instructions: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring the chamoy to a simmer in heavy small saucepan and reduce until it’s thick and syrupy. Divide the chamoy among 6 (3/4-cup) custard cups or 1 (8-inch) baking dish, coating the bottoms and the bottom half of the sides.

Stir the milk and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat just until sugar dissolves (the milk will be lukewarm). Place the eggs in a blender and turn on a low speed. Slowly blend in the milk mixture, then the cilantro and salt. Strain the blended mixture into the prepared custard cups or baking dish.

Arrange the cups or baking dish in a deep, 13- by 9-inch metal baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the baking pan to come halfway up the outside of the cups or dish. Bake until the flan is just set in the center, 50-60 minutes.

Remove the cups from the water and let them stand 30 minutes. Chill the flan in the refrigerator until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day. Cut around the sides of each cup to loosen the flan, then carefully turn it out onto plate. Decorate the top of the flans with the tomato slices, serrano slices and leaves from the cilantro sprigs.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving: 137 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 132 cholesterol, 181 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrates, 0 g dietary fiber, 13 g sugar, 7 g protein

Paul Stephen, Express-News Taste writer