Saturday Morning Food Porn...

Hello...My name is Dana and I'm a foodie. But you already knew that, didn't you? I made a new discovery while I was whiling away three months in Canada. As talk frequently turned to which parent had a bowel movement that day or who took their pills and who forgot, I would run for the bedroom and grab the life preserver in the form of the television remote control. I soon discovered Food Network Canada. Here in the USA, I daily peruse twenty to thirty food blogs and have my favorite Food Network USA cooks. Food Network Canada presented me with a host of new cooks, recipes and magic. This discovery was the equivalent of a Foodie orgasm. Speaking of such things, unless you too are a Foodie, I bet you don't know that on food blogs, beautiful photos of food like that of the carrot souffle above, are referred to as "food porn." That's how much we're into the food thing.

One of my first Food Network Canada discoveries was Riccardo. I adore this man and everything about him. He's nice, self-depreciating, smiles a lotand always speaks so fondly of his mother. He's French Canadian and has the accent to prove it. He says things like, "Beat in that turd egg now", as only a French Canadian can pronounce "third." It just cracks me up (pun intended).

Riccardo's recipes are easy...cook friendly. I was drawn to this souffle recipe for a couple of reasons. One, the color is phenomenal. Color is terribly important to me as a cook. When creating menus, color is one of my major decisions. Experencing food involves visual, olfactory and texture and taste sensations. Imagine this souffle next to some bright green barely steamed broccoli, Dauphanoise potatoes with a hint of Gueyere and a gorgeous slice of standing rib roast a jus, all on a pistine white dinner plate. (I only use white plates. I want the food to be the star of any meal and the dinner dishes a supporting cast member.) Another reason I like this recipe is that it difficult to have a huge repertoire of carrot recipes. Carrots are often just a stew thing or a sickeningly sweet brown sugar pineapple veggie side (the only way my kids would eat them when young) or in their best incarnation, grated into a cake and slatered with cream cheese icing. The carrot souffle above is a grown up vegetable dish that has elevated the lowly carrot far above it's pedestrian roots (hey! another pun...damn I'm firing on all cylinders today. I must be recuperated).Finally, souffles are classy and impress the heck out of anyone who has never made one and does not realize what an easy thing it is to accomplish...shhhhhh. I made this for our Christmas dinner at son's home and even the kids ate it!...Mind you, we told them it was dessert being served right along side dinner and they believed us.

If you love me, promise me you'll try this recipe. It will get you over your fear of souffles...honest. It's that easy. Just remember one thing though...timing is everything. Your souffle must be served immediately or it will deflate as rapidly as the Hindenburg. Also, you can make it as I did in a 2 qt souffle dish rather than individual ramekins.

Carrot and Cheese Souffles

Yield:6

Ingredients:

Carrot and Cheese Souffles

• 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) cooked carrots
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) carrot juice or chicken broth
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) butter
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) grated Swiss cheese
• 2 x eggs, separated
• 1 ml (1/4 teaspoon) cream of tartar
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) honey
• 1 ml (1/4 teaspoon) cayenne, or more to taste Salt and pepper

Directions:

Carrot and Cheese Souffles

1. In a food processor, purée the carrots and juice or broth until smooth.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. While stirring, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrot purée. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly butter 6 125-ml (1/2-cup) ramekins.
4. In a large bowl, combine the carrot purée, cheese and egg yolks. Set aside.
5. In another bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the honey and add the cayenne. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
6. Whisk about 1/4 of the egg whites into the carrot mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
7. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins, filling them to within 1 cm (1/2 inch) of the rim. Smooth the top. Bake until the soufflés are well risen and the tops are lightly browned, about 18 minutes. Serve immediately.