Goat Cheese and Spinach Souffles

I have wanted to try to make souffles ever since I bought my Kitchenaid mixer last year....longer even. So on New Year's Day I decided to go for it. New Year. New Challenge.

I entrusted Gordon Ramsey's Goat Cheese and Spinach Souffle recipe for my initial attempt. And yes, I forgot the spinach. Wilted it. Dried it. Minced it. Set it aside. Forgot about it.



Poor forgotten spinach

Prepping the ramekins
Here is something you might not have guessed. I have never before separated eggs. Hard to believe for someone who spends as much time in the kitchen as me. But I've only ever cooked recipes that called for egg whites. In which case I just break out the handy Naturegg carton.

Gordon instructed me to whip them into firm peaks. But my kitchenaid manual included descriptions for 'stiff and not dry' and 'stiff and dry'. What is a virgin souffle maker to do? I made a judgment call which was probably wrong.


Not looking very appetizing yet
I was so nervous while the souffles were in the oven I sat on the floor, staring through the oven window, sipping eggnog with rum and forbidding Chris to speak in anything above a whisper.


Rise little souffles rise
In the end they turned out okay. Not the poofiest souffles I have ever seen. Not as picture perfect as Gordon Ramsay's. Pretty tasty all the same. And certainly not the epic fail I feared.


As he finished eating inhaling his souffle Chris said 'I'm glad you forgot the spinach. It was nice to have it without.' Making me feel better after kitchen related goofs. Just one of the reasons I married him.

Have you ever made a souffle? Do you have any kitchen challenges to tackle in 2011?