Spinach Soufflé recipe from author @DarylWoodGerber

From Daryl aka Avery:

For the French  Bistro Mysteries, I've really been into French cooking. The first in the series, A DEADLY ÉCLAIR, focuses on a wide variety of French foods including éclairs (which I made gluten-free), madeleine cookies, steak au poivre, etc.

In the second book--I recently turned in the manuscript; Soufflé of Suspicion--I focus on soufflé. It was an awesome undertaking. I made chocolate soufflé, orange soufflé, vanilla soufflé, and now, even spinach soufflé. 

A soufflé is a baked egg-based dish. It originated in France.  Souffler (a French verb) means to breathe or to puff. The dish is made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites, and it is combined with a bunch of other ingredients. It can be made with corn or other veggies as well as all the dessert combos mentioned above.

One of my favorite in the book is the salted caramel soufflé.  Ooh, la, la!

But today, savory!


Spinach Soufflé

1 1/2 tablespoons plus 4 tablespoons softened butter, divided

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

8 cups fresh spinach (loose), stems removed

2 tablespoons flour (or * for gluten-free, use 1 tbsp. rice flour +1 tbsp. cornstarch)

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3 eggs, separated

Brush the inside of 2-quart casserole dish, or 6 individual ramekins  (8 ounces each) with 1 1/2 tablespoons of softened butter. Sprinkle the buttered surface evenly with grated Parmesan cheese and set aside.

Get all your ingredients out and measured before you start. Things happen quickly!

Stem and chop the spinach. Set into a large microwavable bowl. Cover with a paper towel. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Check. If necessary, zap 20 seconds longer. The spinach should be wilted and the juice evaporated.  Chop and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat and stir in the flour (or * for gluten-free, use 1 tbsp. rice flour +1 tbsp. cornstarch) and salt.  Cook, whisking constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the milk to the mixture. Whisk and cook for about 4 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Season the mixture with black pepper and nutmeg.

Add the chopped spinach to the butter-flour mixture and continue cooking over medium heat for 1 minute. Remove spinach mixture from heat. Whisk ½ cup of the hot spinach into the egg yolks, and then add the egg yolk mixture back into the hot spinach, stirring to completely incorporate. Note: do not leave pan on the heat! You do not want your mixture to turn into scrambled eggs.

In a very clean small bowl, beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the spinach mixture, and then fold the remaining egg whites into the mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish(es) and bake the large soufflé for 30 minutes or the smaller ramekins for 20 minutes, until the soufflé is puffed up and cooked through.

Serve immediately. Sadly, the soufflé will deflate quickly.

Savor the mystery!

*

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A DEADLY ÉCLAIR, the 1st in the French Bistro Mysteries, is coming November 2017. Can Mimi clear her name before the killer turns up the heat? Click here to order.

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