New Spinach Soufflé

This is an easy side dish for Easter Brunch or Passover Seder.

If you are serving a more formal dinner, consider serving ramekins on a larger plate with spring greens or asparagus.

If you are entertaining, prepare everything ahead except the egg whites. Twenty five minutes before serving, beat the egg whites and fold in the mixture. Place in the oven and serve hot out of the oven.

I like to serve it with a Preserved Lemons & Green Chili Sauce on baby beet slices.

Serves 6

3/4 pound spinach2 tablespoons butter (1 for buttering ramekin, 1 for cooking onion/garlic)1 small onion cut in half sliced thin2 cloves garlic minced⅔ cup aged gouda or hard cheddar, shredded5 egg yolks2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar7 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 400°F. With 1 tablespoon butter, lightly butter the inside of a 2 litre soufflé dish or 6 individual ceramic ramekins. In a skillet on low, saute the onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter for a few minutes to soften - add the spinach and allow to wilt. As soon as it wilts (less than a minute), remove from the heat. Then place the greens and the onion/garlic mixture, along with the butter and the cheese in a blender or food processor. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar (if you have a nice flavored vinegar in the cupboard, this is the place to use it). Blend the greens until smooth.

Beat the egg yolks for one full minute with a high speed hand held blender until thick and then add the green mixture to the yolks. Blend well. Wash the beaters well and dry, otherwise when you go to use the beaters for the whites, the whites will not beat well. Beat the egg whites until stiff.

VERY Gently fold the whites into the green mixture.

Spoon the batter into the individual ramekins or into the soufflé dish and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Photo Credit:  Daniella Segura