Nina Timm, creator of www.my-easy-cooking.com, started her career as a speech correctionist and for many years taught children with learning as well as physical disabilities. Although her initial career choice had nothing to do with food, this passion for food and cooking had been instilled in her from a very young age. Her Mom and Gran are excellent cooks in their own right and the social aspect of food has always played a large role in their home.
Ingredients
30 ml butter (you will need more butter further down the recipe)
500 ml chopped leeks
125 ml grated Parmesan
120 g butter
80 ml flour
350 ml milk
3 eggs – separated
250 ml mature cheddar cheese
100 g crumbed Fairview Blue Tower
10 ml chopped parsley
10 ml chopped chives
Pepper to taste ( no need for salt, the cheese adds more than enough seasoning)
Method
Heat the butter in a pan and add the leeks. Cook and stir until the leeks are soft, but still green. This takes about 2-3 minutes. Puree the leeks in a food processor and allow to cool. Butter your 4 individual souffle dishes or one big dish. Cut rectangular strips of baking paper and butter the paper. Stick the buttered paper to the inside of the small dishes to form a collar that extends about 3-4 cm above the dish.
Heat the 120 g butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the flour and use your whisk to blend the butter and flour well. Gradually add the milk and keep whisking until the sauce thickens. Once the sauce has thickened, allow the sauce to cook for about 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Preheat your oven to 200 C. Place the white sauce in your mixing bowl and while mixing on medium speed, add the egg yolks one by one, mixing after each addition. Add the leek puree, the cheese, herbs and pepper and mix through.
Beat the egg whites until it forms stiff peaks and fold into the white sauce mixture. Spoon into the soufflé dishes and bake until puffed up golden brown.
serves 4
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