Vegetable Confetti Souffle

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27-2 Summer Issue
Entertaining the Bakersfield Way

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Description

26-4 Fall Issue
Entertaining the Bakersfield Way by Miles Johnson

For the recondite-wary cook, an egg souffle might sound too complicated. Trust me when I say: if you can slice, dice, and stir (or “fold”), you can make a souffle your friends will marvel over.

Ingredients

1 small chopped onion (about 1/4 cup)
1 fresh garlic clove (yup—more garlic)
3 Tbsp. margarine (not butter!)
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Tsp. freshly minced herb of choice
1/4 Tsp. salt
Pinch of pepper
1 Cup milk (2 percent works best)
1 Cup shredded cheese with a low milk content such as cheddar or Swiss
1 Cup finely diced vegetables (like zucchini, eggplant, and red pepper)
3 eggs, separated

Methods/steps

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, “sweat” the onion, garlic, and margarine until tender and fragrant. Stir in the flour, herbs, salt, and pepper—this makes a roux of sorts. Add the milk and allow to cook down until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add in your cheese, stirring until completed melted and blended. Add in your diced veggies, stir until combined, and set aside.
Your eggs should be separated, yolks in one bowl and whites in a mixing bowl. Fork-beat your egg yolks and add to your vegetable mixture until thoroughly combined. In the mixer beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Take about one third of the beaten egg whites and gently “fold” it into the vegetable mixture—I recommend using a broad spatula for folding. This helps to “prepare” the vegetable mixture for the remaining egg whites—don’t ask me why—it just works better than doing it all at once. Pour the vegetable mixture over the remaining egg whites and fold the whole concoction together until light and airy. Over-folding will release too much of the captured air so be careful not to overdo it; traces of visible egg whites in the mixture is completely acceptable.
Pour the whole mixture into an un-greased* 1 1/2 quart souffle dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a cake tester (toothpick, bamboo skewer, or a thin knife will do) inserted near the center comes out clean.

Additional Tips

*Chefs Tip: “Un-greased” is crucial to the success of any souffle. Why? As the mixture heats up in the oven, the trapped air in the egg whites expands driving the mixture up (kinda like a cake). As the mixture bakes, it grabs onto the walls of the dish helping to support and maintain the height of the souffle. Grease doesn’t allow this!
This dish is best presented from oven to table with as little delay as possible.