Spiced Chicken Broth with Chive Flans

Ingredients

• •5 pounds chicken wings
• •2 whole celery ribs
• •2 whole carrots
• •1 whole onion
• •6 stems parsley stems
• •1 leaf bay leaf
• •1 piece ginger
• •16 pods green cardamom
• •8 whole black peppercorns
• •4 quarts water
• •¼ cup chives
• •1 cup half-and-half
• •1 whole egg
• •1 piece mold

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Bring all broth ingredients to a boil with 2 teaspoons salt in an 8-to 10-quarts heavy pot and skim foam. Gently simmer, uncovered, skimming occasionally, 4 hours.

   240 min

2. 2.

   Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a damp paper towel into a large bowl, discarding solids. Skim off and discard any fat. Season with salt and pepper.

   15 min

3. 3.

   Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

   5 min

4. 4.

   Simmer chives and half-and-half in a small heavy saucepan 5 minutes, then let stand, covered, 15 minutes.

   20 min

5. 5.

   Whisk together egg and yolk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a 2-cup measure, then whisk in chive mixture until blended. Put mold on a rack in a roasting pan and put 1 teaspoon chive mixture in each cup (if using mini-muffin pans, fill only 16 cups; about 1 tablespoon per cup). You will have mixture left over.

   10 min

6. 6.

   Bake in a water bath until flan is just set, 8 to 10 minutes (10 to 12 if using muffin pans). Carefully remove mold from water bath. Cool flans at room temperature, then chill until cold, at least 1 hour.

   70 min

7. 7.

   Run a thin knife around flans to loosen. Invert mold onto a baking sheet and, pressing gently, pop out flans (or lift out of muffin pans with a small offset spatula).

   10 min

8. 8.

   Carefully transfer flans to 8 shallow bowls and ladle in hot broth.

   5 min