Vegetarian Cheese Souffles
Serves 4
Takes 20 minutes to make and 20-25 minutes in the oven
Ingredients:
- 25g butter, plus extra for greasing
- 25g flour, plus extra for dusting
- 225ml milk
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 12 black peppercorns
- 2 medium eggs, separated
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 100g Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire cheese (or good-quality Lancashire cheese), grated
Method: How to make cheese souffles
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease 4 x 150ml ramekins and tip a little flour into one of them. Roll the ramekin around to coat the base and sides with flour, then tap the excess into a second ramekin. Repeat until each is coated with flour, then sit them in a small roasting tray.
3. Return the pan to a medium heat and melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the infused milk, letting the flour begin to bubble before each addition, until you have a smooth sauce. Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks and thyme, then 75g of the cheese.
4. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Mix a small spoonful into the sauce to loosen it, then gently fold in the remainder.
5. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Pour just-boiled water into the roasting tray until it comes a third of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen, just set and golden. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately with dressed watercress and SunBlush tomatoes, if you like.
