Dear Jeanne:My family loves this spinach souffle recipe. Could you lighten it up for us? — Jane L., Burton, Mich.
Dear Jane: I added some onion, to boost the flavor, and created a substitute for the heavy cream by thickening the skim milk with flour. Then I added beaten egg whites at the end. This method is more like a traditional souffle, but delicious.
SPINACH SOUFFLE
1 cup ( 1/2 pint) heavy cream
3 eggs
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream and eggs for 2 to 3 minutes, until foamy. Add the remaining ingredients; mix well, then pour mixture into the baking dish.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve.
Makes 8 servings.
REDUCED-FAT SPINACH SOUFFLE
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup skim milk
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
20 ounces (about two cups tightly
packed) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 egg whites
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-inch-square pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute, stirring often. Add 1/2 cup of the milk, whisk to dissolve the flour in the milk, and bring to a boil. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of the milk and bring back to a boil. Add the nutmeg, red pepper, black pepper and salt. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and remove from the stove. Blend in the spinach and set aside.
4. In a grease-free metal or glass bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/3 of the whites to the spinach mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining 2/3 of the whites and spread in the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Makes 8 servings.
Each serving contains approximately: Original Recipe: 167 calories; 14 gm fat; 114 mg cholesterol; 280 mg sodium; 6 gm carbohydrate; 6 gm protein; 2 gm fiber. Revised Recipe: 66 calories; 3 gm fat; 7 mg cholesterol; 225 mg sodium; 6 gm carbohydrate; 6 gm protein; 2 gm fiber.
Jeanne Jones is the author of 33 cookbooks, most recently "Cooking From the Cupboard" (Rodale Press). For more information, you can go to her Web site, jeannejones.com. Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038. Please include a stamped (63 cents), self-addressed envelope. © King Features Syndicate Inc.