Cheese Flans with Spinach Salad

Total time: 40 minutes
    Cheese and eggs can be combined in so many ways.... These are not as light as a soufflé but lighter than a frittata.

 Ingredients:

• Flans:
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup (2oz, 60gr) ricotta cheese
• 1 tbs whole grain mustard
• 2oz (60gr) cheese, chevre, Brie, Cheddar
• 1 slice Prosciutto
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• Salad:
• 3oz (90gr) fresh spinach, mâche or other spring greens
• 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbs good olive oil

 Instructions:

• Prepare ramekins:
• Butter and line the bottom with buttered wax or parchment paper (see techniques ).
• Flans:
• Slice or cut cheese to fit into ramekin. Place cheese in bottom of ramekins.
• Roughly chop Prosciutto and arrange around edges of cheese.
• Whisk eggs, ricotta, mustard and basil together.
• Spoon egg mixture into ramekins.
• Put ramekins into a roasting pan with deep sides - I use a metal bread pan, and add hot water (hot tap water is fine) so that it comes half way up the sides of the ramekins.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 400F (200C) - they should be set - firm on top and starting to brown.
• Remove from oven and from hot water.
• Salad:
• Wash spinach if necessary, spin dry using a salad spinner, tear and put into a large salad bowl.
• Whisk together vinegar and mustard.
• Slowly add olive oil, whisking constantly until vinaigrette is thick and creamy.
• Add spinach and toss well to coat - tongs work well.
• To finish: Arrange salad on 2 plates.
• Run a table knife around the sides of the flans to loosen (if necessary). 
• Put a small plate over top of ramekin and flip over.
• Remove ramekin, and paper from top (formerly bottom) of timbale.
• Carefully turn back so top is up.
• Place flans next to salad and serve.