food / drink
RECIPE
Grilled Asparagus Soufflé
words RUTH JOSEPH www . ruthjoseph . co . uk www . veggischmooze . blogspot . com
OF THE BEST ...
BUZZ 26
5
Welsh Picnic Ingredients
Dust off the picnic blanket and stuff your cool box full local Welsh goodies for the perfect Welsh-inspired picnic . Jon Doyle picks his perfect picnic ingredients .
GORWYDD CAERPHILLY www . trethowansdairy . co . uk This traditional cheese is made from unpasteurised cow ’ s milk before being matured for two months to achieve a creamy texture and earthy mould rind . The winner of countless awards both nationally and globally , this cheese was described by Nigel Slater as “ one of the great cheeses of the world .” If it ’ s good enough for his picnic , it ’ s good enough for ours .
CARMARTHEN HAM www . carmarthenham . co . uk Rumour has it that when the Romans left Carmarthen they stole the recipe and renamed it Parma ham . Dry-salt cured before being air dried , the ham has been recognised in various competitions , including winning gold in the Wales True Taste Awards in 2004 , and would be right at home in our Welsh picnic hamper .
THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY JAMES AND CHUTNEYS www . the-preservation-society . co . uk Based in Chepstow , Monmouthshire , The Preservation Society make a plethora of jams , marmalades , chutneys , pickles and just about anything else tasty you can put in a jar . Their Scrummy Scrumpy Jelly with cider , apples and sage is the perfect accompaniment to cold meats . Now all we need is some bread ...
TORTOISE BAKERY LOAVES www . tortoisebakery . com Bridgend ’ s Mike Sweetman left the rat race to set up a bakery and hasn ’ t looked back since . Offering a multitude of options , from 44hr-fermented walnut sourdough to traditional Italian ciabatta and integrale , there is sure to be something on offer that would sit nicely with the rest of our selections .
MUNCHCAKE GLUTEN-FREE GOODIES www . munchcake . co . uk We couldn ’ t forget dessert ! Made with free-range eggs and only the finest ingredients , Munchcakes ’ gluten-free goodies are treats that can be enjoyed by everyone without sacrificing the taste . Based in Caswell , Swansea , they produce a range of cakes and savoury loaves that have been recognised numerous times by the Wales True Taste Awards . The carrot and pecan cake would make a delightful addition to any hamper – just make sure you pack napkins !
Soufflés sound expensive and complicated , but they ’ re actually simplicity itself ; the basic mixture can be adapted by including slivers of fresh salmon , your favourite cheese or some grilled wild mushrooms . The joy of creating a soufflé is that the sauce can be made in advance , and then when your guests arrive , all you need to do is whisk up the egg whites , combine them with the sauce and pour the mixture into your greased moulds . This recipe has been adapted from my book Warm Bagels And Apple Strudel .
SERVES six
INGREDIENTS 55g butter or margarine , plus extra for greasing / 150g Parmesan , grated / 225g asparagus / olive oil for brushing / 4 tbsp plain flour / 350ml milk / 6 large organic free-range eggs , separated / finely grated zest of 1 lemon / 150g of soft white cheese such as mozzarella / freshly ground salt and black pepper / 25g fresh flat-leaf parsley , finely chopped
PREPARATION
• Preheat the oven to 190 ° C / gas mark five .
• Prepare six ramekins by greasing them with butter or margarine and dusting them with 50g of the Parmesan cheese . Place in a roasting tin ready for transferring them to the oven later .
• Wash the asparagus and trim off the woody ends ( save these for soup ). Brush with oil and place on a hot griddle for four to five minutes until charred and just tender . Remove and leave to cool before cutting into bite-sized pieces .
• To make the white sauce , melt the butter or margarine in a medium saucepan and stir in the flour . Gradually pour in the milk , whisking constantly to avoid lumps . Bring to the boil and simmer for two minutes to cook out the flour . Add the egg yolks , lemon zest , mozzarella , remaining Parmesan , asparagus and seasoning and stir well to combine . Remove and set aside .
• Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff , add a spoonful of the egg white to the asparagus sauce , and mix in to loosen the mixture . Carefully fold in the rest of the egg whites , along with the parsley , and then divide the mixture between your prepared ramekins .
• Carefully transfer the soufflés in their roasting tin into the oven . Fill the base of the roasting tin with boiling water to form a bain-marie and close the oven door . Bake for 20 – 25 minutes , by which time the soufflés should have risen . Resist the temptation to open the oven door or they will sink . Serve with chunks of granary bread .