Steamed Ginger Egg Custard, garnish with poached pears

These two weeks my body has been fighting an infection (not serious), not sure because of it or the medicine I took, I just felt so weak. Some important emails are still pending, a trip should have been prepared but never start, house is dirty, family is lacking my care ... I even felt asleep on a dentist chair yesterday! Right away I told myself I couldn't live like this, I got to grab plenty of rest and eat something good. Last night I forced myself to sleep a few hours more (that makes a whole lot different!), then proceeded the latter... poaching pears in red wine, cooking ginger in milk, steaming it with eggs...

The pears I used for garnish are real tiny, the size is even smaller than a ping-pong ball's. They are just come out the market this week, vendors call them 'perita San Juan' (Sant Juan little pears). Actually many streets, places, schools, people and food are named after saints, some may have a story behind, some I really don't think so. (note later: I just realized June 23 night starts the traditional midsummer party, the celebration in honor of San Juan, St John the Baptist)

The whole dessert only takes minutes to prepare, most of the time is inactive anyway. Less work, more sleep and more nutrition make the best remedy :)

Recipe of Steamed Ginger Egg Custard

(yield: for 2 - 3 persons)

• 250ml milk
• 3 - 5 slices of fresh ginger (you can freeze the rest for next time or other use)
• a pinch of salt
• 3 Tbps sugar
• 2 medium-size eggs

1. Use a big knife or the back of its handle to smack the ginger slices, place them together with sugar, salt and milk in a small pot. Slowly bring them to almost boil. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2. Whisk the eggs, just 30 seconds should be enough. Combine the eggs and the milk mixture.
3. Place a sieve under while pouring the milk into serving bowls.
4. Place a short rack inside a big pot, fill with water for 1 or 1 1/2 inches, bring the water to just about boiling. Place the bowls of custard on the rack, steam them with the lid close under very low heat... make sure the water is only simmering but not bubbling. Check the custard in the first 5 or 7 minutes ... make sure you dry all the water under the lid before you place it back on. My custards totally took less then 10 minutes to get done.
5. Serving the custard hot or cold.

Recipe of Poached Pears

• Pears of your choice, preferably with firm texture after cooked. Mine are miniture so they don't need to cut, only peeled
• Half glass of sweet red wine
• 1 cinnamom stick
• 1 slice of lemon
• some sugar
• some water

In a small pot, stir in wine, water, sugar, cinnamon and lemon, bring them to boil. Lower the heat, put the pears in, keep the liquid barely simmering for 30 minutes. I'd prefer soaking the pears overnight, but I run out of time so mine were soaked for 2 hours.

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