Baby Marrow Souffle - plate licking good

Last night we had guests for dinner and I made this as a starter. You can make it as a main, just use a larger container. Made naan bread to soak up the sauce. I will add the recipe for the bread, it's worth trying, it is easy and very tasty. You may lick your plate out, the sauce is SOOO good. We still eat dairy on rare occasions, this is worth breaking the rules for. If you really want to use less dairy, make a basic tomato sauce instead of the cream sauce, or grill some peppers, skin, liquidise with some vegetable stock and use that as the sauce.

Baby Marrow Soufflé in Tomato Cream

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main (though I usually find its 5 and 3!!)

Tomato cream:

300g cherry tomatoes, halved

1T butter/olive oil

½ mild red chilli, finely chopped

1 cup cream

½ tsp honey

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp white pepper

Soufflé:

35g butter

20g flour

1tsp corn flour

⅓ cup milk

250g baby marrows, finely grated

1 egg yolk

35g goats milk cheese, grated, plus extra for serving Or same quantity

Blue cheese or parmesan cheese

2 egg whites

20g chives, chopped

Pinch salt

To make tomato cream:

Sauté tomatoes in butter till soft, it only takes about a minute. Add remaining ingredients, cook gently for 5 min. Blend and strain.

To make the soufflé:

Preheat oven to 120˚C. Oil 4 ramekins for starters or teacups/soufflé dishes for mains.

Melt butter; add flour and corn flour, stirring constantly. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time till a thick sauce forms. Remove from heat. Stir in the baby marrows, egg yolk and grated cheese. Allow to cool. Beat egg whites till soft peaks form; fold into baby marrow mix along with chives and salt.

Pour into containers, and bake 40 minutes – 1 hour till lightly browned and firm. Remove from oven, rest 5 minutes and demould, carefully loosening sides with a knife. Turn onto plates or bowls that you have generously dribbled with tomato cream, crust side up. Top with extra cheese and bake at 180˚C till hot.

Notes: The soufflé comes out beautifully risen and then collapses! It’s normal. I often do them well in advance and only rebake prior to eating. Some bread is essential as the sauce is delicious and you don’t dare waste any.

Naan bread:

250g cake flour

7ml salt

1 packet instant yeast

5ml sugar

170ml warm milk

40ml butter, melted

Mix together and knead to form a soft, smooth dough (If you have a mixer, even easier). Leave to rise covered with clean tea towel, it is quite slow so at least 2 hours. Knock back and stand 10 more minutes. Divide in 2 and roll out into a flattish oval shape. Brush with melted butter and put onto preheated baking sheet under the preheated grill for 2 minutes, turn over and grill other side. Remove from oven and wrap in clean tea towel to keep moist. Eat and enjoy.