2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
½ cup olive oil
3 medium eggplants, peeled and cu
into small cubes
2/3 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Large pinch paprika
3 ounces Oregon Blue cheese, crumbled
(about ½ cup) (divided)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus
extra for greasing dish
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk, boiled and strained
4 egg yolks
6 egg whites
Butter six 1-cup soufflé dishes or one 5-cup soufflé dish and dust them with the Parmesan, turning the dishes to coat them evenly. Tip out any excess.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the eggplants and fry until lightly golden. Don’t crowd the pan: you may have to cook them in batches. Return all the eggplants to the pan, add the water, cover and cook over a gentle heat for up to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplants are very soft and fairly dry in texture. Put them in a blender with a little salt, some pepper and the paprika. To this add ¼ cup of the Oregon Blue and process to a smooth thickish puree. Set aside.
Heat the butter in a pan, add the flour, and cook over a low heat for a few minutes. Gradually add the hot milk, stirring all the time, then bring to a boil to make a smooth sauce. Cook over a very low heat for about 5 minutes, ten stir in the eggplant and Oregon Blue puree. Let cool slightly before stirring in the egg yolks.
Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat a third of the whites into the sauce to loosen the mixture, then carefully fold in the remaining whites. Half fill the soufflé dishes with the mixture and scatter the remaining Oregon Blue over the top.
Pour over the remaining soufflé mixture and wipe any drips off the rims of the dishes. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until all the soufflés are well risen and nicely golden. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.
For successful soufflé making, ensure that the bowl in which you whisk the egg whites is clean and grease-free; rub it with a little lemon, then rinse under cold water and dry with a clean cloth. Do not overbeat the egg whites or they will become grainy. Be careful not to leave fingerprints along the rim of the soufflé dish or the soufflé will not rise evenly. Soufflés must be served immediately. Remember: “The guests should wait for the soufflé and not the other way around!”
Per serving:
Calories: 422 (12% from protein,
19% form carbohydrates, 69% from fat)
Protein: 12.8 grams
Total fat: 33grams
Saturated fat: 10.6 grams
Sodium: 317 mg
Cholesterol: 172 mg
Fibre: 5.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 21 grams
Exchanges: 3 vegetable, ½
starch, 1½ meat, 6 fat.
Mika ^_^ - You know what? I live in Oregon and have never heard of this Oregon Blue cheese before seeing this recipe. I'm going to assume that it's a special variety made by Tillamook or something, and that a regular Bleu cheese would work just fine. ;-)