Savory Egg Custard With Clams And Shrimp

1/2 c Juice from canned clams

1 1/4 c Low-sodium chicken broth

1 ts Oil

1 ts wine

1 ts Light soy sauce

1/4 ts Sugar

pn White pepper 4 Eggs

1/2 c Canned whole baby clams

3 tb Chopped Chinese garlic

-chives, or green onions 6 md Shrimp, shelled, deveined

1 ts 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.