Savory Egg Custard With Clams And Shrimp
ceideburg, chinese, fish
1/2 cup juice from canned clams
1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon rice wine
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch white pepper
4 eggs
1/2 cup canned whole baby clams
3 tablespoon chopped chinese garlic chives, or g; reen onions
6 medium shrimp, shelled, deveined
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
This steamed egg dish exemplifies the simplicity of Chinese home cooking it takes about 5 minutes to prepare. The Chinese use a heat- proof porcelain shallow bowl 7 inches wide by 3 inches deep with sloping sides to steam this egg dish. A 1 quart ceramic souffle dish or a Pyrex bowl works just as well. To ensure a smooth, silky texture, avoid high heat when steaming.
Combine the clam juice, chicken broth, oil, wine, soy sauce, sugar and pepper in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cool completely.
Lightly beat the eggs in bowl. Slowly stir the cooled broth mixture into the eggs until thoroughly mixed. Avoid over-beating.
Scatter the clams and 2 tablespoons of the chives in the bottom of a 1quart heat-proof bowl. Strain the egg mixture through a fine mesh sieve over the clams.
Bring the water in a steamer to a boil over high heat. Place the bowl on a rack above the boiling water. Cover, reduce heat to a gentle boil, and steam for 2 minutes, or until the eggs begin to set.
Carefully remove cover from steamer, and scatter the shrimp on top of the custard. Cover and steam for 5 minutes longer, The custard is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Carefully remove bowl from the steamer. Drizzle with oyster sauce and garnish with remaining chives. Spoon over rice. Serve hot.
Serves 4 to 6.
PER SERVING: 90 calories, 10 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 160 mg cholesterol, 186 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
From an article by Joyce Jue, San Francisco Chronicle, 11/11/92.
Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; February 22 1993.
Yield: 4 servings