Spinach and Cheese Soufflé
Do not be faird to try this – it really is not difficult. It looks lovely either in a larger dish or in peerie ramekins. It can be prepared ahead up to the folding in of egg whites stage and it makes a good vegetarian main course or a lighter starter for a bigger dinner.
Ingredients
25g butter
25g plain flour
150ml milk
ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
freshly grated nutmeg
75g strong hard cheese, grated – gruyère or cheddar are good
3 eggs – separated
125g bag of spinach (freshly grown would be best.) Cooked, well drained and chopped.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Grease the soufflé dish or ramekins.
- Put milk, butter and flour into a small pan and whisk or beat constantly till you have a very thick white sauce. This is sometimes called a panada and is used when making rissoles to bind ingredients together.
- Add seasonings. Cool slightly and then add the cheese.
- Stir in the spinach and egg yolks and mix – a spatula does the job very well.
- You can set the mixture aside at this stage and finish the dish later.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Stir 2 tablespoons into the mixture to slacken it a little then carefully fold in the remainder with a metal tablespoon. The mixture will be thick and soft.
- Pour into the dish/es and place on a metal baking tray near the top of the oven.
- Bake for 15 minutes for individual ramekins or 30 minutes for a larger dish.
- It will look risen and golden while still soft in the centre.
- Eat straight away – maybe with a salad and crusty bread.