Food Recipes Appetizers Sun-Dried Tomato Flans with Arugula Salad Be the first to rate & review! Maria Hines likes to serve savory flans as appetizers. Here, sun-dried tomatoes make the custard taste especially luscious. More Vegetarian Recipes By Maria Hines Maria Hines Why Because she's obsessed with finding the best fish, meat and produce, and smart in how she uses them in her extraordinary Pacific Northwestern menu: She finds three ways to serve tomatoes with her luscious cod. Born Bowling Green, OH; 1972. Education Culinary program at Mesa College, San Diego, CA. Experience George's at the Cove in La Jolla, CA; L'Essentiel in Chambéry, France; Eleven Madison Park in New York City. Why she became a chef "I remember peeling carrots at my first restaurant job, and thinking, 'I can't believe someone would pay me to peel carrots. It's so fun.'" Pet peeve Cooks who slouch. "I know it's tedious to deleaf a case of parsley, but when you're in the kitchen, you need to look like you're working, not hanging out." Favorite farmer "I love Linda Neunzig, who owns Ninety Farms [in Arlington, WA]. I told her I wanted squash the size of her little daughter's hand. And it comes in that way each day." Favorite childhood dish Her mom's macaroni and cheese. "It's what we had for lunch when she let me play hooky from school." Pre-marathon training diet "I did a recipe for Runner's World on the best training dish with tuna, pasta and tomatoes. But what I really ate before the Seattle Marathon was beer, bourbon and doughnuts." Won Best New Chef at: Earth & Ocean; Seattle Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 2, 2015 Rate Print Share Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1 hr Yield: 4 Ingredients 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato paste (one 3-ounce tube) Salt and freshly ground white pepper 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 loosely packed cups baby arugula (4 ounces) 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved 1/4 cup marcona almonds Directions Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter four 3-ounce ramekins. In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the sun-dried tomato paste until simmering. Season with salt and white pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the egg yolk. Gradually whisk in the hot cream. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve and pour it into the prepared ramekins. Set the ramekins in a small baking pan. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes, until the flans are set. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool slightly. In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the olive oil. Add the arugula, olives and almonds, season with salt and white pepper and toss. Run the tip of a small knife around each flan. Invert a small plate over each flan and using pot holders, invert again. Gently tap the ramekins to release the flans. Mound the salad alongside the flans and serve right away. Suggested Pairing The creaminess of this dish is highlighted by the slight tannins in a rosé from Provence. Originally appeared: July 2008 Rate It Print