Courgette and mint soufflé

Earlier this year I convinced two of my longest-standing friends, Suzi-Q and Illi, to pack their bags and finally pay us a visit in London. What a superb time we've had so far. We even managed to squeeze in a trip to Paris. There, we hosted a dinner in our rented apartment with a 360º view across the City of Love.


It was during my frantic shopping trip for this said dinner, that I was reminded yet again of how versatile our trustworthy old friend the courgette (also known as zucchini or marrow) is. I never have anything specific in mind when I add a couple of marrows to my shopping basket, but somehow they always come in handy. And so it was that night. I topped fresh egg papardelle and slow cooked tomato sauce with char-grilled strips of courgette and judging by the empty plates, it turned out just fine. Parisians Kévin and Olivier brought the perfect dessert to end our evening: cherry clafoutis. C'était magnifique!


Back home I decided to try something a little more sophisticated with the humble marrow. This soufflé is quite delightful and really very easy to make. Don't be tempted to cut corners and add the grated marrow raw, though - it will end in a soggy affair.


Enough for 6 individual soufflés

Ingredients
35g butter
35g flour
250ml milk (or milk substitute)
freshly ground rock salt and black pepper
150g grated courgette
2 shallots, finely chopped
50g soft goats' cheese
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves
4 large eggs, separated


Method
1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper.
2. Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously. Once the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat.
3. Fry the courgette and shallots over a low heat in a little oil until soft. Now stir the vegetables and cheese into the white sauce, making sure the cheese melts.
4. Beat in the egg yolks one by one, then set the mixture aside to cool for 10 minutes.
5. In the meantime, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then fold them into the mixture. Be careful not to over-mix.
6. Spoon the mixture into 6 lightly greased individual ramekins and bake for 25 minutes at 180ºC/350ºF (or 170ºC/330ºF in a fan oven) or until puffed up and golden. Serve immediately.