Asparagus Cheese Soufflé

It's peak asparagus season here in the Northeast U.S., and there is nothing better than freshly harvested asparagus from the garden. I was fortunate enough to receive these stalks from a friend this week. Some were green and some were purple and I have to admit, I couldn't taste any difference. I cut off the tips and peeled the stalks, which were quite thick. I couldn't decide whether to make a soufflé or a frittata, but the soufflé won out since I hadn't made one in quite a while. Soufflés are not that hard to make, despite what many people think. So give it a try and you'll be enjoying a divine concoction in no time at all.

 I sliced the stalks into small pieces, (and peeled them), reserving the tips for later 

I boiled the small slices, then pureed them in a small processor.

I added the pureed asparagus to the roux I made with butter, flour and milk, stirring to incorporate. Then I added the grated cheese. I used a mix of parmigiana and some aged Gouda I brought back from Holland recently. The egg yolks go in next, but being careful not to add them all at once, lest you end up with scrambled eggs.

The beaten egg whites were gently folded in, and the whole mixture was placed in a soufflé dish. I topped it with the small stalks, saving the thicker stalks for another recipe. You could also fold these small stalks right into the soufflé rather than place them on top.

Bake for about 30 minutes. It deflates quickly once removed from the oven, so be sure everyone is sitting at the table when you present it. It just melts in your mouth!

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Asparagus Soufflé

Ingredients:

3 1/2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 cup grated cheese (I used aged gouda and parmigiano, but gruyere would be great too)

2 - 2 1/2 cups asparagus, sliced

4 eggs, separated

salt, pepper

a small grinding of nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the asparagus slices in water for 3-4 minutes. Drain, then place in a mini food processor and puree. Set aside.

Whip the egg whites until stiff and set aside.

Make a roux by melting the butter in a saucepan and adding the flour. Stir for a few minutes on low heat. Add the milk slowly and stir with a whisk until smooth. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Add the pureed asparagus and the grated cheeses to the roux.

Add the egg yolks to the roux slowly. In order not to scramble the eggs, place a little of the roux into the egg yolks and whisk. Keep adding a little more of the roux mixture until the temperature of the eggs starts to feel warmer, then dump the rest of the egg mixture into the roux. Still vigorously to blend.

Add this mixture to the beaten egg whites, folding everything together until blended throughly.

Butter a small soufflé dish and sprinkle grated parmigiano on the interior. Place the soufflé mixture inside and optionally, decorate with reserved small stems of asparagus (which have been boiled for a couple of minutes). 

Place in a 375 degree oven for 1/2 hour. Remove from oven and eat immediately.

Date and Walnut Cake - Hold the Butter, Sugar, and Eggs!

I never would have believed it if I hadn't tried it, but this cake -- with no butter, no sugar and no eggs -- is downright delicious. OK, so you're never going to throw your favorite chocolate layer cake with buttercream frosting overboard, but if you want a healthier version of a snack cake that won't give you a guilt trip, try this recipe from Cooking With Renu. She made hers with vegan milk and whole wheat flour, but I substituted buttermilk and white flour in my version. I also added more walnuts than her recipe calls for. If you're trying to cut back on your sugar or butter intake, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how good this cake can be for satisfying your sweet tooth.

It's simple to make with just a spoon too, although it takes a little advance prep to soak the dates in the milk for a few hours, or overnight, as I did. When you're ready to prepare the rest of the ingredients, just whir the buttermilk and dates in a food processor (or blender) to get a puree, the basis of the cake's sweetness. 

It will look like this when you place the batter into a loaf pan.

It comes out of the oven without a "dome" but that's perfectly fine.

The only sugar in this cake is the confectioner's sugar I used to decorate the top.

It is tender, moist and easy to make too. So get yourself some dates and start baking!

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No Butter, No Sugar, No Eggs Date and Walnut Cake

Adapted from Cooking with Renu

• 1 8 ounce package of pitted dates 8-20 dates 
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (regular or vegan milk can be used) 
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)
• ½ cup oil plus one tablespoon (I used canola oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Slightly warm the milk and de-seed and soak the dates overnight in the refrigerator, or for at least 4-5 hours. 

Toast the walnuts slightly in the oven or on the stove to get a more intense flavor, but be careful not to let them burn. Let them cool.

Once the dates are soaked, blend the dates along with the milk into a smooth paste using a food processor or blender. Mine wasn't completed pureed, but had some small bits of dates that weren't quite liquified. That's fine.

Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder and walnuts in a bowl. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix in the date mixture, the vanilla and the oil.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes for doneness.

If desired, sprinkle the top with confectioner's sugar after it has cooled.