Food Simply Simple

I was reading Rozanne Gold's 1-2-3 Cookbook over the weekend and found a great recipe for Eggplant Souffle, using only 3 ingredients.  Since it's past eggplant season and I have lots of winter squash in storage for the winter, I adapted the recipe.  I believe most eggplant recipes can be adapted to winter squash, assuming you choose the right squash.  It worked!  I changed the eggplant to roasted and pureed squash and the feta to gruyere.  It worked, and we figured out options for variations to modify flavor and texture.  We will use this recipe again and again.

Squash is an incredibly inexpensive, easy to work with, non-processed food.  We lose a few each year, but we keep our winter food bills way down by investing in a lot of different kinds of winter squash and using them inventively.  So far, we've created about 100 recipes.

Squash “Souffle” – with options

Serves 4-8

6-8 cups winter squash, pre-roasted and pureed (Hubbard, sweet meat, golden delicious) – measure after pureeing

NOTE:  Choose a squash with some moisture versus a buttercup type that is quite dry

NOTE:  Most squash will puree easily if roasted and then stirred well.  Sometimes, a hand beater or hand-blender or even a food processor will work, depending on whether the squash is fiber-y.

5 large eggs

8 oz. gruyère or other Swiss cheese, shredded (medium cheddar will also work)

If squash puree is not smooth when you begin, stir or beat squash until it is smooth.  Add eggs and beat by hand or with mixer until eggs are fully incorporated.  Stir in the cheese.

Place mixture in oiled 9x13 pan.  Bake 350°F, 45 minutes, until set.

Options:

Sprinkle with lemony-y gremolata before serving.

Gremolata is an Italian way to add flavor:

Remove the peel of a fresh, washed, and dried lemon.

Mix the lemon peel with finely chopped parsley (2-4 Tablespoons), either flat leaf or curly.

Mix with 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped.

Chop the three items very finely and sprinkle on top of the dish just before serving.

You can add very finely chopped toasted nuts.

Serve with cranberry relish on the side.

Add 1-2 tsp. cumin when mixing.  Serve with some chutney on the side.

Add 2 tsp. ancho, chipotle, or cayenne pepper spice to the mix with the cheese and make sure it is mixed in well.  Top the soufflé with dollops of plain, no-fat Greek yogurt.

Enjoy!

LinK