Chef Victoria's Spinach and Smoked Salmon Rolled Cheese Souffle
6-8 Servings

10-oz, 284-g, or 7 cups fresh spinach

6 large eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

¼ tsp nutmeg

1-1/4 cups milk

¾ cup grated cheese, your choice

(I like Bleu & white cheddar)

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp cream of tartar

½ cup regular sour cream

150-g pkg smoked salmon, about 10 slices/ or 4 cups sliced mushrooms, sauteed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

line a 15 X 10  jelly roll pan with a sheet of parchment paper

let 2 inches hang over the sides

lightly spray with Pam.

Remove & discard tough stems from spinach. Steam spinach in boiling water until just wilted. Drain & when cool enough to handle, using your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible. Then coarsely chop spinach.

Separate egg yolks from whites, placing yolks in a small bowl and whites in a Kitchen-aid mixer bowl. Melt butter in a medium size saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in flour and nutmeg to form a paste. Whisk constantly until mixture bubbles, for a minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cool, stirring constantly, until thick & bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in cheese. Remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolks, then whisk 2 tablespoons thickened hot milk mixture into yolks.

Slowly pour yolks into milk mixture in saucepan, stirring constantly. Scrape mixture into a large bowl. Stir in spinach until evenly distributed.

Sprinkle salt & cream of tartar over egg whites. Beat whites until they form peaks when whisk is lifted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir half of whites into spinach mixture in bowl. Then, using a spatula, gently fold in remaining whites. Immediately turn mixture into paper-lined pan, spreading to cover entire pan. Smooth top. Immediately bake in center of oven until soufflé has risen, surface is slightly cracked and edges are a light golden brown, from 12 to 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, place a clean tea towel on a cutting board larger than jelly roll pan.

When soufflé is baked, remove from oven and immediately place cutting board, tea towel-side down, on top of soufflé. Then turn upside down. Place cutting board on counter. Remove pan. Slowly & carefully peel off paper. Starting from smaller edge, roll soufflé up into tea towel, forming a pinwheel log. Let roll cool on counter, wrapped in tea towel, for 15 minutes.

Then unroll soufflé and spread sour cream. Arrange salmon/ or mushrooms overtop, covering as much sour cream as possible. Reroll soufflé using tea towel to help shape it into a snug pinwheel log. Slice with a serrated knife. Serve hot or at room temperature.

I sometimes enjoy the soufflé with a drizzle of heavy cream reduced by a third, with an added tablespoon of Dijon mustard.

Chef Victoria Kirby