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Cheese
and Spinach Soufflé |
I serve this often. I always seem to have the ingredients, so it
is simple. Also, I can usually get the whole prep mess cleaned up
while the soufflé cooks so it is a one-dish dinner and easy
for that reason.
5 eggs separated
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk or half & half
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
dash Tabasco
1⁄2 to 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 package frozen spinach cooked in a sauté pan until dry
with a little salt, nutmeg, and butter. (Better yet, fresh spinach.)
Beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside. In a large saucepan, melt
butter, add flour, stir until bubbly, then gradually add milk or
half & half, whisking until smooth. Let the sauce stand off
the heat for about 3 - 4 minutes to cool a bit. Add egg yolks to
the sauce. Return to heat for a couple of minutes. Be careful not
to boil the sauce or the eggs will cook. Divide the sauce. (I pour
half the sauce in with the spinach, which I have done first.) Then
add the cheese to the other half of the sauce. Stir the cheese into
the sauce until mixed. Add half the egg whites to the cheese sauce,
and the other half of the egg whites to the spinach sauce. (You
are making 2 separate soufflés really.)
Fold in egg whites so as to preserve the air bubbles. No need to
have a perfect looking mix. Pour the spinach mixture into a soufflé
dish or other straight sided oven proof dish. Then pour in the cheese
mixture on top. This soufflé isn't going to puff up a lot
because of the density of the cheese and spinach so you can feel
free to fill the soufflé dish close to the top.
Bake 30 minutes or so at 350º. Try not to peek as the soufflé
will fall. Serve immediately.
Note: This is a basic soufflé recipe and can be varied to
taste. Leave out the spinach or the cheese, try different cheeses,
whatever.
-Kate |
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