Spinach Comté Twice Baked Soufflés Food

SPINACH & COMTé TWICE-BAKED SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C / 390°F fan).
• Put the spinach in a pan with the milk and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
• Melt the butter in a large pan, stir in the flour using a sauce whisk and cook over a low heat for a minute or two - do not let it brown.
• Add the spinach and milk, stirring constantly, and simmer until the sauce is thick and smooth.
• Remove the pan from the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, add the nutmeg and Comté, mix well and then stir in the egg yolks.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them carefully into the mixture.
• Butter 8 individual ramekin dishes or dariole moulds very generously, then spoon in the mixture (you may have enough mixture for 10 if your ramekins or moulds are small).
• Place the ramekins into a roasting tin and gently pour boiling water into the tin until it comes half way up the outside of the ramekins.
• Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.
• Remove from the oven, but leave them in the roasting tin, and leave until the soufflés shrink back and are cold. Run a cutlery knife around each ramekin and turn the soufflés out, scraping off any bits of remaining soufflé and sticking them back onto the bottom of the soufflé. NB - you can wrap them in cling film and freeze them at this stage.
• For the topping, generously butter a gratin dish that can hold the soufflés without them touching. Sprinkle half of the Comté over the base of the dish, put the soufflés in upside down (can be covered in cling film and left in fridge overnight at this stage, then brought up to room temperature before next stage), pour the cream over and sprinkle over the rest of the Comté.
• Bake in the oven (same temperature as before) for another 15 to 20 minutes until they have puffed up and are golden brown, then serve straight away.

TWICE BAKED SPINACH SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Stem the spinach, rinse in cold water and lift straight into a large pan.
• Set over moderate heat, cover, don't add extra water, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the spinach wilts.
• Drain in a colander, pressing well.
• When spinach has cooled, squeeze firmly to extract excess water and chop finely.
• Heat oven to 350*F.
• Brush 10 small ramekin dishes with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Melt the butter for the souffles in a medium pan, stir in the flour and cook over a moderate heat for a few minutes.
• Slowly add the milk, beating to make a smooth sauce.
• Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add seasoning and a good grating of nutmeg, then remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool slightly.
• Separate the egs, reserving the whites and beating the yolks into the sauce.
• Stir in the spinach, mix well then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the spinach mixture.
• Spoon into the ramekins, filling them level.
• Set the dishes in a large roasting tin.
• Add boiling water from the kettle to a depth of about 1 inch.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the souffles are well risen.
• Remove the ramekins from the tin, cool for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides and turn out onto a buttered gratin dish--right sides up.
• The souffles can be set aside overnight.
• If the souffles have been chilled, allow them at least 1 hour to come back to room temperature.
• Heat the oven to 400*F.
• Pour the cream over the souffles, coating each one.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling, then serve.

TWICE BAKED CHEDDAR SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Put the milk in a small pan with the onion and bay leaf.
• Bring slowly to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
• Remove the onion and the bayleaf.
• Prehat oven to 200*C (400*F).
• In another pan, melt the butter, then add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat, then gradually stir in the infused milk.
• Return to the heat and stir constantly until thickened and just beginning to boil.
• Remove from the heat, then add 125g (4 oz) of the cheese and the mustard.
• Season well and add a good pinch of nutmeg, then beat in the egg yolks.
• Butter six 150ml (1/4 pint) ramekins.
• Put the kettle on to boil.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the cheese sauce.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins, then put them in a roasting tin.
• Pour enough boiling water into the tin carefully, to come up halfway up the ramekins.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until set and golden.
• Leave to cool.
• Run a knife around the edge of each ramekin, then carefully turn the souffles out on to a buttered oven proof dish.
• To serve turn the oven to 220*C (425*F).
• Season the cream with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour it over the souffles.
• Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until the cream is bubbling and the souffles have risen.
• Remove with a palate knife and serve immediately, garnished with parsley.
• NOTE: You can complete the recipe to the end of the first baking and put them in the buttered dish, cover and store them in the fridge up to a day ahead.

TWICE-BAKED CHEESE SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• Lightly grease six 150ml ramekins with oil and coat with the polenta, shaking out any excess. Sit the ramekins in a small roasting tin. Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 min. Remove from the heat and pour in the milk, a little at a time, stirring well until mixture is smooth.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Return pan to the heat and cook, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from the heat. Reserve 1 heaped tbsp of the Parmesan and stir the rest into the mixture, with the mustard, then the soft cheese in small spoonfuls. Add the chives, season with pepper and leave to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, make the salsa. Mix together the tomatoes, onion, tomato purée and chillies. Season with a grinding of pepper, and chill.
• Beat the egg yolks into the cheese mixture. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Using a large metal spoon, fold a spoonful into the mixture to slacken slightly. Gently and evenly fold in the remaining whites, half at a time, keeping mixture light and airy. Evenly spoon into the ramekin dishes to fill. Pour cold water into the roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake for 15-18 mins until golden on top and risen. Carefully remove from the tin and leave to cool. The soufflés will sink as they cool - they can be left for 20 mins before re-baking, or cover the dishes once cold and keep overnight in the fridge.
• When ready to serve, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. If the soufflés have been in the fridge, sit them at room temperature for about 10 mins before baking. Turn each out of its dish and place, right-side up, on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Sprinkle the reserved Parmesan over each soufflé, then bake for 10 mins or until risen. Scatter with chives. Serve each with a pile of rocket and salsa.

SPINACH STUFFED TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• When oven is preheated,bake potatoes for 1 hour or until fork tender.
• After potatoes have cooled off enough to handle,split in half and remove potato pulp,leaving a 1/4 inch thick shell.
• In a large bowl,mix together potato pulp, butter,salt,pepper,spinach,and cheese.
• Place empty potato shells into a greased 2 quart baking dish,and divide potato/spinach mixture evenly into shells.
• Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and tops are lightly browned.

ANNE'S TWICE-BAKED SPINACH SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Generously butter six 8-ounce ramekins or one 6-cup jumbo muffin tin or silicone muffin mold.
• To prepare the spinach, in a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the well-drained spinach and season with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring, until the mixture is well combined and all the moisture has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
• To prepare the béchamel sauce, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook until foaming but not browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in the warmed milk. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it is at a boil, continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• You will use two-thirds of this sauce as the base for the soufflés. The remaining one-third will be the coating sauce at the end. Transfer one-third of the sauce to a small saucepan. Add the half-and-half and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Stir the spinach into the larger amount of sauce; taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring between each addition. Set aside.
• To make the soufflés, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
• To lighten the soufflé, add about one-fourth of the beaten egg whites to the spinach-sauce mixture and whisk until well mixed. Pour this mixture over the remaining whites and fold together until smooth.
• Fill the prepared ramekins with the mixture. Place them on a baking sheet and bake until the soufflés are puffed and browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Leave the oven on.
• Transfer the soufflés to a rack and cool slightly. Turn out each soufflé into a large gratin dish or casserole. If the soufflés stick, release them by running a butter knife or offset spatula around the rims. Set aside.
• To finish the soufflés, bring the reserved cream sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the mustard and 1/4 cup of the Gruyère cheese. Stir to combine, then taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the soufflés to coat, then sprinkle each evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup Gruyère. (The dish may be made to this point and held at room temperature for up to 1 hour or covered in the refrigerator for up 24 hours. However, it is important to bring the dish to room temperature before browning.)
• Bake the sauce-covered soufflés in the gratin dish until browned and bubbling, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
• béchamel sauce
• Whether called béchamel (French), balsamella (Italian), or white sauce, this classic sauce is based on a thickener (a roux) made of butter and flour that is whisked together with milk. Simple seasonings include nutmeg, salt, and pepper, but the flavor is improved if the milk is first infused with aromatics like bay leaf and peppercorns. It is as simple as making tea: place the milk and aromatics in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let rest for about 10 minutes; strain out and discard the aromatics.
• Béchamel sauce is the workhorse of cuisine. You can change its consistency by varying the proportions of roux to milk. The more roux, the thicker the sauce, and vice versa. Thin sauces are used as bases for soups and other sauces. Add cheese, for example, and it's Sauce Mornay. A medium béchamel sauce is used for coating and in vegetarian lasagna. Thick béchamel is the base for savory soufflés.