Cheesefare Recipe: Cheese Souffle

Cheese Souffle
5 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup hot milk
pinch teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few twists of pepper (preferably white but black will do)
4 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1 cup coarsely grated Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Butter a 6-cup souffle or straight-sided baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter. Dust the interior of the dish with the Parmesan and knock out the excess.
In a large saucepan, melt 3 T butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter and flour foam and froth. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the hot milk, then simmer over medium heat and stir slowly until thick, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the seasonings, then the egg yolks, 1 by 1. The sauce will be very thick.
Whip the egg whites to stiff, shining peaks, then whisk 1/4 of them into the sauce to lighten it. Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the sauce, alternating with the grated Swiss cheese.
Turn the souffle mixture into the prepared dish and set in the oven. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until the souffle has puffed 1 or 2-inches above the rim and has browned on top, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Lenten Recipe: Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 medium, ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon each ground cumin, dried oregano, and pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1-pound can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups of cooked beans)
3 cups Vegetable Broth, or 3 cups of water plus 3 cubes vegetable bullion
Salt to taste
Optional: 2 teaspoons olive oil
If cooking with oil: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.
If cooking without oil: Wilt onion, bell pepper, and garlic over medium low heat for about five minutes.

Add tomatoes, vinegar, and spices. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
Puree 1 cup of the beans in a blender (or mash with a fork). Add to saucepan, along with remaining beans, water, and vegetable broth .
Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes.
Add salt to taste.
Remove and discard bay leaf before serving.

Lenten Recipe: Lentil Soup (Faki)

Lentil Soup (Faki)

1 lb lentils
1 large yellow onion
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 small can of crushed tomatoes or 2 or 3 fresh tomatoes, peeled and crushed
1 T vinegar salt and pepper
Optional: 1/3 cup olive oil

To prepare without oil: Wash lentils. Cover with 6 cups of water and boil. Finely chop the onion and add to the pot, slice the celery and carrots add them to the pot, press or finely chop garlic and add it to the to the pot, add the bay leaf. Turn heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour. Add tomatoes and vinegar, simmer 1/2 hour more.Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To prepare with oil: Wash lentils, set aside. In a large soup pot sauté over medium heat the finely chopped onion, sliced celery and sliced carrots. When vegetables have grown soft but not brown, add pressed or finely chopped garlic. Immediately add lentils, bay leaf and 6 cups of water. Turn heat to high until the water begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour. Add tomatoes and vinegar,simmer 1/2 hour more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lenten Cooking for Eastern Rite Catholics

"Lenten recipes" means meatless and dairyless cooking. During the week the alcohol and olive oil are also off the menu. To my fellow but Roman Catholics I must explain: fish is meat. Except for shellfish, which for some reason isn't.
I don't think locusts are meat either, but I'll look it up.