Ingredients

• 5 pounds chicken wings
• 2 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 carrots, quartered
• 1 medium onion, left unpeeled, trimmed, and halved
• 6 parsley stems (without leaves)
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
• 1 (3-inch) piece peeled ginger, thinly sliced
• 16 green cardamom pods, crushed
• 8 black peppercorns
• 4 quarts cold water
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives plus more for garnish
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 whole large egg plus 1 large yolk
• Equipment: 1 flexible silicone "hemisphere" mold with 24 rounded cups or 2 lightly oiled nonstick mini-muffin pans

Instructions

1. Bring all broth ingredients to a boil with 2 teaspoons salt in an 8-to 10-quarts heavy pot and skim foam. Gently simmer, uncovered, skimming occasionally, 4 hours.
2. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a damp paper towel into a large bowl, discarding solids. Skim off and discard any fat. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
4. Simmer chives and half-and-half in a small heavy saucepan 5 minutes, then let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
5. Whisk together egg and yolk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a 2-cup measure, then whisk in chive mixture until blended. Put mold on a rack in a roasting pan and put 1 teaspoon chive mixture in each cup (if using mini-muffin pans, fill only 16 cups; about 1 tablespoon per cup). You will have mixture left over.
6. Bake in a water bath until flan is just set, 8 to 10 minutes (10 to 12 if using muffin pans). Carefully remove mold from water bath. Cool flans at room temperature, then chill until cold, at least 1 hour.
7. Run a thin knife around flans to loosen. Invert mold onto a baking sheet and, pressing gently, pop out flans (or lift out of muffin pans with a small offset spatula).
8. Carefully transfer flans to 8 shallow bowls and ladle in hot broth.