cauliflower soufflé

when visiting chicago over the holidays, i received a lot of complaints about the lack of posting going on, so i'll start by formally apologizing for misleading everyone into thinking i have stopped eating. the reason for the lack of posts was due to poor lighting. however, tim made me light diffusers for christmas (thanks tim    : ), so now i can cook and bake and eat at night, and still share wonderful recipes with all of you. this recipe for cauliflower soufflé  is an auntie shmounie classic (tak for sharing!) and perfect for jumping back into the blogging world.

i should've taken this photo immediately after removing the soufflé from the oven because from then until when the photo was shot, some oomph disappeared into the night... still delicious though.

ingredients*:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
90 grams unbleached all-purpose flour (apx 1/2 cup)
1/2 liter low fat milk (a little over 2 cups)
6 eggs, separated
butter for greasing dish
bread crumbs for sprinkling
salt, pepper, a dash of paprika, and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg

preheat oven to 200 C (392 F)

grease the bottom of the soufflé dish** and sprinkle a layer of bread crumbs to coat. layer the cauliflower florets into the dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. set aside.

in a medium saucepan, continuously whisk the milk and flour over medium to medium-high heat until doughy in consistency. add salt, pepper, paprika, and nutmeg to taste. set aside and allow to cool.

once the flour and milk mixture has cooled, mix in the egg yolks. in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a stand mixer, egg beaters, food processor, or an immersion blender (anything that will prevent whisking them by hand), until they form a meringue and hold stiff peaks. gently fold the meringue into the doughy mixture*** and pour it upon the cauliflower. sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, and a layer of bread crumbs and place it in the center of the oven. allow to bake uncovered for approximately 45 minutes to an hour or until the top has browned nicely.

serve with grated cheese and enjoy!

*i first made this recipe with auntie shmounie in denmark and thus used metric measurements. i have included estimates for american measurements, but would suggest using the metric versions for greater accuracy if possible.
**using a dish specifically designed for soufflés really makes a difference. i didn't believe it until i tried making this dish in a regular ceramic piece of bakeware. the pop that is so signature to soufflés just never happened...
***if the mixture is too thick, it can be thinned by stirring in a little more milk.