Fresh Spinach Souffle

I love spinach souffle, and have adapted this recipe from one that calls for cooked spinach.  It can be either a side dish or a main, so it is perfect if one of your dinner guests is a vegetarian.  

This is not a quick recipe, but if you love spinach souffle it is worth the effort!   And it is really not difficult.  Since quite a few utensils, pots & pans, bowls etc. are used, I recommend cleaning up as you go.  Otherwise your kitchen will be a disaster by the time you are finished.  When you are cooking for company there are almost always those who ask “Is there anything I can do to help?”  Obviously you are not going to reply, “Sure.  Would you mind making the souffle?”  But you could ask your guests to wash the dishes, if you like to have people in the kitchen while you cook.  It will make them feel useful.

Recipe- (will serve 6)

Equipment:

Food Processor (or you can chop by hand)

3 mixing bowls- small, medium & large

small saucepan

small frying pan

hand mixer

measuring cups and spoons

whisk, mixing spoons, sharp knife

1 1/2 quart baking dish + a larger baking dish to set it in (See separate post about Pyrex Cinderella Casseroles)

Ingredients-

9 oz. (or so) bag of fresh spinach

Small onion

3 eggs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup milk

2 Tbs. flour

2 Tbs. butter, + a little extra 

1/2 tsp. salt (or less)

1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions-

Preheat the oven to 350.

1. Chop the spinach, either in a food processor or by hand.  I use a food processor, and I chop in in 3 batches since it will not all fit in at once.  Place the finely chopped spinach in the large bowl; cover it and set it aside.

2. Chop the onion and saute it with a little butter in the small frying pan.

3. Separate the three eggs, with the whites in the medium bowl & yolks in the small bowl.

4. Measure 1/2 cup grated parmesan.  Set this aside, with the bowls of egg.

5. Now make the white sauce, as follows- 

    Over low heat, melt the 2 Tbs. butter in a small sauce pan.  Add the salt and pepper.  Then whisk in the 2 Tbs. flour.  Continue to cook for about half a minute, whisking continuously.  Slowly add the milk, still whisking, until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.  Cook over low heat until the sauce thickens, whisking frequently.  

6. Add the sauteed onions to the white sauce.  Set this aside.

7. With your hand mixer, beat the egg yolks for a few minutes, until light colored.  Remove the beaters; wash them thoroughly and replace them in the mixer.

8. Combine the beaten egg yolks and hot white sauce as follows- Add a little of the white sauce to the egg yolks and stir.  Do this several times until the egg yolk mixture is warm.  Then stir the yolks into the white sauce.

9. Stir the combined sauce and the parmesan cheese into the chopped spinach.

10. With the hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks will form, but not so much that it starts to break apart and float around.  

11. Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the spinach mixture. 

12. Spray the 1 1/2 qt. baking dish with Pam.  Then turn the souffle mix into it.

13. Place this baking dish in a larger baking dish or pan, and pour a couple of inches of hot water into the outer dish.

Bake for about 1 hour.  Check after 45 minutes.  The top should be brown, but obviously not burnt.  Test for doneness with a knife or cake tester.  Serve immediately, or at least fairly soon.

Leftover spinach souffle is great for lunch the next day.  Just cover it and put it in the refrigerator.  

If you have baked your souffle in a vintage Pyrex casserole dish, you will find the opalescent glass interior to be a breeze to clean!