Cauliflower Souffle – Kids Cook French

Recipe From: Kids Cook French – Les Enfants Cuisinent A La Francaise By: Claudine Pepin Illustrated by: Jacques Pepin

Cauliflower Souffle

From Claudine: The story of this soufflé dates to when my grandmother married my grandfather. She was about eighteen, she didn’t know how to cook very much, but knew he liked soufflé. So she made hers this way, without separating the eggs, and it worked! It does not rise as much as a traditional soufflé, but it is delicious and so much easier! She never added cauliflower; that is just me. Serves 8 Ingredients: 7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter 1 cup (240 g) cauliflower puree (see instructions) 1⁄3 cup (41 g) all-purpose flour 2 cups (475 ml) whole milk 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 pinch freshly ground white pepper 6 eggs 6 ounces (170 g) Gruyére or Swiss cheese, grated (about 2 cups) 2 tablespoons (6 g) minced chives Preparation: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) glass dish or 6-cup soufflé dish with 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the butter. For the purée, cut about one-quarter of a whole cauliflower, including the stem but not the green, into pieces smaller than 1½ inches (3.5 cm). Bring the cauliflower to a high boil in salted water, turn down to a simmer, and cook until very soft (about 10–12 minutes). Drain very well. Purée the cooked cauliflower in a food processor or by hand, making sure that all the water is removed. While the cauliflower is cooking, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons (85 g) of butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Add the salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer while stirring with a whisk, then remove from the heat. The sauce should be thick and smooth. Allow to cool. You’ve just made béchamel! Beat the eggs with a fork very well, as you would for an omelet. Mix the eggs, cheese, cauliflower purée, and chives into the cooled white sauce. Mix well. Pour the mixture into the glass or soufflé dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. It should be puffy, lightly browned on the top, and dry in the middle. Serve as soon as possible.

Cookbook Review ~ Kids Cook French

Review By: Gloria Cohen

This book is a delight; you don’t need to speak/read French to enjoy this collection of classic French recipes. This new book offers kids a world of culture and kitchen know-how as they learn to cook French.

KIDS COOK FRENCH

Les Enfants Cuisinent A LA Francaise

By Claudine Pepin

Illustrations By Jacques Pepin

According to world-renown chef, Jacques Pepin, “the moment for a child to be in the kitchen is from the moment they are born”

Jacques daughter Claudine Pepin has created a fun interactive cookbook for both parents and kids, introducing them to the arts and joy of cooking. With an emphasis on fresh ingredients and hands-on preparation, dishes include traditional starters, main courses, and deserts.

You will find from the very start of this book, that the left side page is in English and the right side is in French. I like this, as it’s also a way to have fun recognizing the French words for the classic recipes found in restaurants around the world.

You can choose recipes based on seasons, plus there are pages for notes, where the kids can make up menus of their own, or comment on what you have cooked together… be sure to date the notes, as it will be fun to discover years from now.

Many have seen Claudine Pepin with her father, world-renowned chef, Jacques Pepin sharing cooking techniques on public television. All three of their series have received the notable James Beard Award. As well Claudine has had numerous TV appearances, including Cooking live with Sara Moulton, Good Morning America, and Molto-Mario.

She invites you to find inspiration in these pages, while helping kids to learn to make their own meals while learning better eating habits.

Recipes include Croque-Monsieur, Beef Bourguignon, Ratatouille, Crème Brulee and Crepes to name a few of my favorites.

Click here for a sample recipe

Cauliflower Souffle

Published by: Quarry Books

Available at a bookseller near you $21.99 US /$23.99 CAN