Dandelion Green Soufflé

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups dandelion greens, washed, trimmed and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of ½ lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons butter, plus more for soufflé dishes

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup whole milk, warmed

Pinch cayenne pepper

4 egg yoks, 5 egg whites

1 cup Gruyere, grated

4 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated plus more for soufflé dishes

 Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Begin by buttering four 2-cup soufflé dishes (or one 8-cup dish) and dust with grated parmesan to keep soufflé from sticking. In a saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil. Add the dandelion greens and saute until wilted. Add the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir for one minute more. Add the water and simmer until water has evaporated. Greens should be nice and soft. Turn off the heat and set the greens aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk constantly until foamy, being careful not to brown. Take the pan off the heat and add the warm milk, whisking until mixture becomes smooth. Whisk in cayenne pepper. Add the egg yolks and whisk well. Stir in the dandelion greens. Taste for salt and pepper. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Stir in ¼ beaten egg whites into flour and mixture to lighten. Stir in the Gruyere cheese. Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the mixture until just incorporated. Place soufflé dishes on a baking sheet, and gently divide batter into prepared dishes. Sprinkle parmesan on top. Reduce oven to 375 and bake for 15 minutes (or a bit longer). They are ready when puffed up (and perhaps cracked) and golden on top. Avoid opening the oven if possible during baking!

Recipe from seasonsinvermont.com