Sweet Potato and Smoked Gouda Souffle

Sophie had me try smoked Gouda a few years ago. I've been a fan ever since. This souffle has roasted sweet potato and a bit of nutmeg mingled with the smokey flavored Gouda all contained in a pecan crust. I think you're going to be so happy you tried it...

Sweet Potato and Smoked Gouda Souffle
1 cup sweet potato chunks, peeled, 1- 2 inch dice
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 to 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 eggs
1 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (or hazelnuts or bread crumbs)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle sweet potato chunks with olive oil, toss to coat and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes or until tender, stirring once. Remove from oven and mash until smooth with a fork. Measure 1/2 cup and set aside. (Use any remaining for another recipe.) Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet until melted. Stir in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly stir in milk and continue to cook until thickened. Stir in salt and nutmeg. Set aside to cool. Separate eggs, placing whites in a large mixing bowl and yolk in a smaller one. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat whites to stiff peaks and set aside. Beat yolks slightly with a flat wire whip, then whisk into cooled milk mixture (white sauce). Combine thoroughly. Whisk in mashed sweet potatoes and then Gouda. Take about 1/3 of the egg whites and lightly fold into the egg yolk/ cheese mixture to lighten it. Spoon mixture into remaining egg whites and fold in with a rubber scraper until mixture is combined and has few white streaks. Prepare souffle dish by buttering the bottom and 3/4 up the sides. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and twist dish to coat. Even out any loose nuts in the bottom of the pan by shaking it. Spoon souffle batter into prepared dish and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Hints: Roasting the sweet potatoes adds a depth of flavor that pairs well with the smokiness of the cheese. (I roasted more than a cup and will post a recipe that used the rest.) Grating nutmeg is easy on a micro-plane but you can use ground nutmeg. Measure the cheese loosely, not packed. If you don't eat nuts, the bread crumbs will work fine, but the toasted nut flavor really adds the final note of deliciousness here. A perfectly cooked souffle will be just barely set in the center, still moist and very jiggly. The nut crust will be crispy but not charred. The souffle can wait before cooking for a few minutes, but needs to be served immediately once baked. This recipe could be cooked in 12 ounce ramekins for individual servings and would need to cook about 25 minutes.

This souffle has a scent and flavor so well suited to cold weather! Gathering around a table to spoon out a portion to those you care for in the warmth of your home is so satisfying. Laughing and talking about how their day went or plans for tomorrow or challenges we face is a way to connect and re-connect as you share a lovely meal together. Of course connecting can be done without the lovely meal, over fast food takeout if need be. But there is something extra, some bit of intimacy that occurs when we cook for those we love and they partake with grateful hearts.

Eggs and Cheese

Eggs and cheese are two of the staples I always have on hand. They can be combined for a quick and delicious meal in a myriad of ways. One of my favorites is soufflé. Here is one that has a veggie component too.

 

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Spinach and Cheese Soufflé

1/4 lb spinach

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

 6 egg yolks

1/3 cup grated Swiss cheese

1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Ramano cheese

3/4 teaspoon salt

6 egg whites

 

Butter bottom and sides of an eight cup soufflé dish. Coat with ¼ cup grated Pecorino Ramano cheese. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place spinach in a microwavable bowl, add a tablespoon of water, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Melt butter in a skillet and stir in flour.  Stir and cook for one minute. Add milk slowly while continuing to stir. Cook until thickened. Add nutmeg and remove from heat and set aside. Drain spinach well, squeezing by hand if necessary to remove most of the liquid, then chop finely. Beat egg yolks and add to the milk mixture along with the spinach, cheeses and salt. Beat egg whites just until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the spinach and cheese mixture to lighten it. Add back to the remaining egg whites and fold until blended. Place mixture into prepared soufflé dish and bake for 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Hints: First thing you should realize is that the soufflé will taste fabulous even if it did not rise as high as you might have wished. The interior of the soufflé should be quite moist when serving. I have also made this with the following substitutions- instead of 6 egg yolks use 3 whole eggs. You can also make this in smaller ramekins for individual servings. One cup ramekins, placed on a baking sheet, will need to cook about 25 minutes. This is a great meal with a bit of crusty bread and a nice tossed or fruit salad.

Once Bill and I had friends to dinner and I was making individual spinach soufflés. Just as Steve and Mary arrived I dropped the baking sheet. It landed right side up on the floor. The ramekins were jostled and some had tipped over. I still had 4 intact and so proceeded to bake them. They turned out wonderfully. We had a very nice evening and I found out that you don't have to be concerned about treating soufflés gently.

Back Currant Soufflés with White Chocolate Ginger Sauce

Soufflés are tons of fun to serve and eat. They are not difficult --- the only tricky part is being able to serve them immediately out of the oven. So timing is critical (just like most things in life). However, a flat soufflé will taste just as wonderful so don’t be too sad if your timing is off. Soufflés have 3 basic parts. First the body, second the flavoring and third the egg whites. Adding a sauce to dessert soufflés is optional. My nephew Matt calls this sauce "a drizzle of goodness." I created this recipe to celebrate my first crop of black currants from bushes I planted last year. This fall, I am going to try it with cranberries instead of currants.
Black Currant Soufflés with White Chocolate Ginger Sauce
Pastry cream:
1 1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 egg yolks, beaten.
Mix flour and sugar together in a saucepan. Add the milk and vanilla. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer while stirring constantly. Whisk into egg yolks slowly. Return to heat. Bring to a boil again stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and place a piece of plastic wrap on surface of pastry cream.




Black currant flavoring:
1/2 cup cleaned black currants (or chopped cranberries)
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4cup water
juice and grated peel of one tangerine
pinch of salt
Boil all ingredients, uncovered until thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes stirring often. Mash currants up with the back of the spoon while stirring. Add black currant mixture to pastry cream , mix well and cover with plastic wrap.


Beat 6 egg whites until stiff. Fold 1/3 into pastry cream to lighten it, then fold back into the rest of the whites until well blended.
Butter and sugar 12 small (1/2 cup) ramekins. Fill to 1/4 inch from top. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until risen and golden brown on top. Remove from oven and serve immediately by splitting tops open with two spoons and pouring in a few tablespoons of sauce.



White Chocolate Ginger Sauce
3/4  cup cream or half and half
6 oz white chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
Heat cream to a simmer. Stir in chocolate and ginger. Whisk until chocolate is melted. Keep warm and pour into soufflés to serve.