Gruyere custard

Ingredients

• 300 ml cream
• 300 ml milk
• 1 cup / 250 grams grated Gruyere cheese
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon butter to grease the ramekins
• 50 grams Spanish anchovies, oil drained
• White pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 125 grams butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon of picked thyme leaves
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 3 bunches asparagus, wooden stems cut

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Preparation

• Set a bain-marie over gently boiling water. In the bowl the cream, milk and parmesan and mix cooking until the parmesan has dissolved. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 120 C.Have 12 small ramekins that will each fit 100ml of liquid ready and greased with the soft butter or an oil spray. Set them in a deep roasting tray.
• Heat up milk and cream, add cheese and let it melt, stir constantly.
  Mix the egg yolks with the Gruyere cream. Add a touch of white pepper and mix well. Ladle into the ramekins mixing at all times to ensure the Gruyere is balanced in every ramekin.
• Boil a full kettle of water. Set the roasting tray in the oven shelf and pour enough water to half way up the side of the ramekins, cover the whole dish with aluminum paper and cook for 45 minutes or until the custard has set. Remove form the oven and cool them in their dishes.
• Melt the butter in a large clean frying pan until it foams. Keep mixing the pan to avoid the butter burning in the warm spot. When the butter stops foaming keep a good eye for it to reach a golden color and then add the chopped anchovy and Garlic and mix with a whisk to incorporate. Quickly add the thyme and lemon juice and pour the butter in a small casserole to avoid it burning as the butter will continue cooking in the hot pan.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and plunge the asparagus in it. In the meantime keep the custard warm in the oven with twelve plates.
• When the asparagus are cooked but still slightly crunchy drain them. Set the warm plates on a bench; turn the Gruyere custard on each of them by carefully inserting a small knife on the side of each custard to liberate them. Garnish with the warm asparagus