Northumberland Cheese and Spinach Souffle
Ingredients
100g Soft butter
100g Dried Breadcrumbs
900ml Full fat milk
½ Onion
1 Bay leaf
1 Clove
150g Butter
150g Flour
½tsp English mustard powder
300g Spinach (picked, washed & dried)
50g Butter
500g Grated, Northumberland cheese
12 (240g) Egg yolks
12 (360g) Egg whites
1 tiny pinch Salt
Intro and Method
Double butter 18 soufflé moulds (3" ramekins) & dust out with breadcrumbs. Chill.
Heat milk with onion clouté.
Cover with a lid & allow to infuse.
Make a white roux with butter & flour.
Allow to cook over a gentle heat for 15mins.
Sir in English mustard powder.
Strain & reheat the milk, add to the roux, one ladle at a time.
Allow to almost boil between each addition.
When all of the milk is incorporated, move to the side of the stove & allow to cook out gently for 15-20mins (stirring regularly).
Sauté spinach very briefly in the butter until wilted.
Season with salt & pepper.
Drain in a colander & chop coarsely.
Stir into the béchamel.
Remove béchamel from the heat & stir in cheese & yolks
Cover with cling film to keep warm.
Whisk whites until they begin to thicken, add salt & continue whisking until quite firm (beware of graining & drying out).
Beat in 1/3 of whites with a wire whisk. Fold in remainder carefully.
Divide between soufflé moulds & bake au bain marie @ 135ºc (vent open) for 25mins.
Remove from oven & bain marie & allow to cool for 5-6 mins before turning out & wrapping loosely in cling film.
Chill until needed. Allow to return to room temp before reheating.
Reheat by placing each soufflé in a small ovenproof dish & pouring 200ml double cream over each.
Sprinkle with a pinch of grated cheese and transfer to a 200ºc oven for 12mins.
Recipe supplied by Northumbria Larder (www.northumbria-larder.co.uk (www.northumbria-larder.co.uk))
