(serves four)
WE serve a version of this as a main course on both the Food Social lunch and a la carte menus using a cheddar type cheese. But goats’ cheese is a healthier alternative, having less calories and fat than cows’ milk products and it’s also ideal for sensitive stomachs.
INGREDIENTS
450ml semi-skimmed milk infused with ¼ of an onion, one clove and a bay leaf
75g unsalted butter
75g plain wholemeal flour
Pinch of English mustard powder
200g goats’ cheese
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites, whisked
100g creme fraiche
150g spinach, sautéed
25g unsalted butter
Small amount of softened unsalted butter
50g parmesan cheese
Pinch of salt
METHOD
Brush four ramekins with softened butter and chill in the fridge.
Heat the milk with the onion, bay leaf and clove and infuse for 20 minutes.
To make the roux, melt the butter in a heavy based pan large enough to accommodate the milk. Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Reduce the heat to barely a flame and cook out for 5-10 minutes.
Once the roux is cooked out, strain the milk into the roux and whisk until it becomes a shiny white sauce.
Add the crumbled goats’ cheese. Mix until there are no lumps. Take off the heat. Add the egg yolks and beat in. Cool slightly.
Whisk the whites until they form peaks. Fold half of the whites gently into the roux with a metal spoon and then add the other half. Mix in the mustard powder.
Ladle the mixture into the chilled moulds. Place the filled ramekins into a roasting tin. Pour about half an inch of boiling water straight from the kettle into the tin, place on a high shelf in the oven and cook at 130C, gas mark 1 for 20 minutes or until the souffles are set and feel springy.
Meanwhile, wilt the spinach with the butter in a frying pan.
Take the soufflés out of the oven and give them a couple of minutes to rest. Place the ramekins into individual bowls and sprinkle the spinach around.
Beat the crème fraiche and pour around the spinach. Sprinkle the parmesan on each soufflé and pop under the grill for a couple of minutes. Serve.