Ya win some and ya lose some - Nasi Goreng and Caramel Custard

For my birthday last October my cousin, Andrea, bought me a subscription to Cook's Illustrated magazine. Up until now, I wasn't overly inspired by the magazine, but this month's issue was a different story.  For the past few nights, I've been making dishes from it.  On Sunday, I made pub style burgers (made with ground sirloin tip) and last night I made the most delicious chicken brochettes (kept moist with a paste of bacon, sugar and paprika).   Tonight, I used it again.  Although this isn't an "Oma" recipe from the 2 boxes I inherited, I do remember that it was one of her favourites, Nasi Goreng.

Oma was born and raised in Indonesia on a sugar plantation.  As Indonesia was a Dutch colony, many recipes have endured in Dutch cooking.  In fact, Oma's recipe box includes the very involved Rice Table meal which I do plan on attempting this summer for the blog.   Nasi Goreng is a fairly simple meal that makes use of leftover rice and whatever meat is on hand.   This particular version, makes a paste of chiles and garlic and onion as well as a lovely sauce that gets incorporated.

For dessert, I chose a Caramel Custard from the recipe box.

Nasi Goreng - (Fried Rice, Indonesian Style)

5 green or red Thai chiles, stemmed (I couldn't find this so I used one large green chilie)
3 large shallots, peeled.  (forgot to buy these, used one whole yellow onion for the paste)
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
Table Salt
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
12 oz extra large shrimp (I used less as I also added 1 1/2 cups cooked ham)
2 cups basmati or Jasmine rice, cooked and cooled (2 cups dry, makes approx 8 cups cooked)
2 large scallions, sliced thin
2 limes, cut in wedges (forgot these)

ingredients ready to go

Using food processor or chopper, make a paste out of the chiles, 4 shallots and garlic.  Set aside.   In a second small bowl, mix brown sugar, molasses, soy sauce and fish sauce and 1 1/4 tsp salt.  Set aside.  In a third bowl, whisk together eggs and 1/4 tsp salt.

Heat one tsp oil in skillet.  Add half of eggs and cook as a thin omlette.   Slide onto cutting board and roll up into a tight log.  Using a knife, cut the lot crosswise into 1 inch segments.  Repeat with 2nd half of eggs.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in wok or skillet.   Add chile mixture and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden.  Add shrimp and cook until opaque (2 minutes).

Push shrimp to sides of skillet and pour sauce in middle.  Once sauce boils, add rice, breaking up large pieces.   I added the ham with the rice.   Once heated (after 3 minutes or so), add scallions and stir.   Transfer to serving platter and decorate with rolled up egg.  Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side, if using.

finished

Caramel Custard (recipe was given doubled, I halved it)
2 jumbo eggs or 3 if regular size
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whisk eggs until light.  Add sugar and salt.  In a pot, scald milk and add to egg mixture, SLOWLY.  Add vanilla   Blend with whisk.
In bottom of mold (I used a pie plate) sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar.  Add custard slowly on top.   Bake at 350 in a big pan with warm water.

custard in pan surrounded by boiling water

Bake until firm (took about 40 minutes).   Cool.  Invert and serve.   Melted brown sugar will form sauce.

Verdict
The rice was awesome.   I've eaten this before, many times but this was better.   The sauce and the chile paste really added to it.   The kids didnt' love it, but they are never big fans when it comes to rice.    Mike and I ate it with Sambal (chile paste that is really hot, but really good):

Sambal spices it up!

As far as the custard goes, that is another story.  2 things went wrong.  First, I completely forgot to add the vanilla.  Got lazy and didn't pre-arrange my ingredients.   Second problem:  When I unmolded it, it fell apart:

Doesn't this look appealing?

But, I figured it would still taste good.   WRONG!!!   Kind of tasted like gooey eggs with some melted sugar on top.  Here's Philips' reaction to it: