Green Chile Souffle with Spinach

If you’ve ever been to New Mexico you already know that we tend to cook a lot with green chile, which we roast every fall and keep in our freezer to use throughout the year. It’s just natural then that I’d make a souffle with green chile, and red of course, just to give a native spin. This recipe takes a bit of time, but it’s worth it if you like to enjoy good food, besides, how many mornings can you really eat fried eggs before it gets monotonous?

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs – at room temperature and separated
  • 42 g Gruyere cheese – can substitute Swiss – coarsely grated
  • 28 g Parmesan cheese – finely grated – say no to pre-shredded cheese
  • 1 Shallot – small – diced fine
  • 3 Green chili’s – roasted, skinned, and diced (~56 grams)
  • 10 oz package of frozen Spinach – thawed and squeezed
  • 1/8th tsp Cream of Tartar
  • Butter for greasing Souffle pan
  • Roux
    • 3 TBL Butter
    • 3 TBL Flour
    • 8 oz Milk (1 cup or 227 grams)
    • 1.25 tsp Salt
    • 0.25 tsp Black pepper – ground
    • 0.5 tsp Red Chili powder
    • 1/8th tsp Nutmeg powder

Process

  1. Mise en Place: measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
  2. Preheat oven to 400F. Place one rack in center of oven with nothing above it (so Souffle can rise).
  3. Generously grease the Souffle pan with butter. Then sprinkle Parmesan cheese on bottom and sides. Reserve whatever cheese does not stick to the pan for the Roux mixture.
  4. Squeeze the moisture from the spinach and green chili, and chop both fine.
  5. Make Roux
    • Melt butter in sauce pan and add the shallots and green chili. Saute until onions are tender (~4 mins).
    • Stir in the flour and let toast for ~2 mins.
    • In stages while constantly stirring, add the milk to create a smooth sauce.
    • Add the spices and remove from heat.
    • Stir in yolks one at a time until incorporated.
    • Add in spinach, Gruyere cheese and left over Parmesan cheese and set aside.
  6. Add egg whites to blender with cream of tatar and whisk until firm. Don’t over whip, you’re not making meringue.
  7. Mix 1/3rd of whites into roux then in stages, fold the remaining whites into the roux.
  8. Pour mixture into Souffle pan.
  9. Place pan on baking sheet in case you have overflow and put in oven.
  10. Lower temperature to 375F and bake ~35 mins. Do not open oven door while baking or your Souffle will flop.
  11. Let cook ~5 mins and serve.
  12. Can keep leftovers in fridge for a couple of days, but honestly, it will be a miracle if you have left overs.
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