Truffled Egg Custard with Chive Chips

For the Chive Chips:

• 1 large russet potato

• 2 t. clarified butter

• Kosher salt

• 20 ea. chive chips, very thin (use the tops of the thinnest chives you can find)

Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Brush 2 silpats with clarified butter and kosher salt. Match up mandolin-sliced band-aid shaped potatoes with chive in the center of each one. Remove air pockets from each raw chip. Top with the second silpat, butter side down and top with second sheet pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

For the custards:

• 8 large eggs (with the paper egg carton) for the serving pieces. Only 2 eggs used in the custard itself. Reserve the other eggs for another use.

• 2/3 cup milk

• 2/3 cup heavy cream

• 1 T. white truffle oil

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground white pepper

Heat the milk and cream. When it boils remove from heat. Turn on a blender and pour in the dairy mixture. Add the truffle Oil and the 2 reserved eggs, salt and white pepper. Strain through a chinois into a pitcher. Let the custard sit and skim off any foam. Fill each egg shell _ full with custard mixture. Put egg carton into pan and fill pan with hot water 2/3 of the way up the eggs. Cover the pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until the custard is set. The finished eggs may be kept in the water, in a warm place, for 2 hours.

For the truffle ragout:

• 1/3 cup veal stock

• 1 t. finely minced black trufflesfew drops white wine vinegar (used as a flavoring, like salt)Reduce to 3/4 T.

• 1 t. unsalted butter (mount the sauce after reduction)

• 1 t. white truffle oilkosher saltfreshly ground white pepper

To assemble: Place the custard filled eggshell in an egg holder (or mound kosher salt or sel Gris or fleur de sel onto a small plate and put the eggshell in the salt, standing up).  Put a little of the truffle ragout on the top of the custard and season with trufffle oil (optional) and salt and white pepper.  Just before serving, stick the chive chip in the custard.