Happy, Happy March – the start of Spring, fluttering daffodils and promise of sunshine! What better way to celebrate March, and St David’s Day and Spring and Daffodils by waxing lyrical about a lovely sunshiny cheese – Tintern from Somerdale Cheeses.
This is a young, and strong cheddar which has been carefully mixed with shallots and chives. The colour is lovely fresh primrose , flecked with the vivid green of the chives. It is not a mild mannered cheese by any means, so if you are eating it as is, then team it with a good slab of bread – perhaps a wholemeal and walnut sourdough, with a slightly fruity chutney.
I think it comes into its own cooked, whether on toast, on baked potato, in an omelette or in a light and fluffy soufflé.
This soufflé recipe is for one person, but you can easily double it for two.
Directions (preheat oven to 200 C)
Brush the inside of a soufflé dish with 1/2 teaspoon butter; coat bottom and sides with Parmesan cheese and set aside.
Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl til they form soft peaks.
Melt remaining 2 teaspoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir in flour, cooking for about 1 minute. Add milk and stir or whisk vigorously to combine. Return to low heat and cook, stirring all the time until thickened; season with salt and paprika. Take off the heat and whisk in the egg yolk.
Add a dollop of egg whites to saucepan along with half of the cheese; stir to combine. Fold in remaining egg whites and cheese and pour into prepared baking dish.
Pop the soufflé dish into the oven and reduce oven temperature to 180 degrees. Bake until the top is lightly browned and soufflé has risen, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately either on its own, or with wilted spinach. It goes splendidly with a Friday glass of white wine. Iechyd da!
And the link between Spring, Daffs and Tintern ? The estimable Mr W Wordsworth (how aptly named).
