Laura’s Pumpkin Soufflé

This is a French recipe that I have translated, it turned out really well and it's perfect for using up pumpkin in this season of plenty ;)

Ingredients (for 4-6 people) :

• 500 g of pumpkin

• 100 g of grated cheese (cheddar/gruyere/comté)

• 3 eggs

• 75 g of flour

• 60 g of butter

• 1/4 of litre of milk

• Salt, pepper, nutmeg.

Preparation:

After peeling the pumpkin, cut into cubes.

Place in a saucepan with some salt, cover and leave to cook until soft, mash obtain a purée.

Simmer to reduce and thicken the purée as much as possible.

During this time prepare the béchamel.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan (as it will ultimately have to contain the whole preparation).

Add flour and stir with wooden spoon until the flour has cooked.

Take off heat and add in one go the cold milk.

Put back on the heat, allow the mixture to thicken while stirring continuously. This preparation must be very thick.

Add the pumpkin purée, pepper and some grated nutmeg.

Separate the whites from the egg yolks, beat the whites until very firm.

Take the saucepan off the heat to add the grated cheese and egg yolks, mix well.

Then add the beaten whites to the warm mixture, folding in gently.

Pour the mixture into a buttered (soufflé) dish and cook in medium oven (180°c) for about 30 mins.

Serve immediately :)