Farm Egg Souffle With Vegetables

You can make this souffle even if your farm doesn't offer eggs, of course, but try to make sure they're as fresh as possible to ensure that beautiful puffy rise in the oven. Many seasonal vegetables will work here, but try not to overwhelm the souffle — less is more. This tastes delicious alongside wilted greens or with a big salad.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

3/4 to 1 cup chopped scallions

1 cup heavy cream

1 thyme sprig

Assortment of CSA vegetables, finely chopped

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Chopped fresh herbs if you have them

4 large egg yolks

6 large egg whites

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 6-cup souffle dish and dust with a sprinkling of the Parmesan cheese.

Put the garlic, cream and thyme in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring slowly to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.

For the vegetables, I use whatever I have on hand from the share, although some will work much better than others. Try a combination of finely chopped spinach and red bell pepper, or roast a butternut squash and mash it well before folding into the batter. If you're using vegetables such as garlic, mushrooms or greens, saute in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes until soft, then set aside.

Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour, whisking, over low heat. Cook for one minute while whisking slowly. Whisk in the milk and stir until it thickens. Turn off heat and stir in the Parmesan, salt, pepper, herbs, egg yolks, vegetables and cream mixture.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk or a hand mixer until they form soft peaks. Fold the whites into the base and scrape the batter into the souffle dish. Bake until golden brown and set, about 30 minutes.