I've been slightly obsessed with food blogger/writer/photographer Kate Sommers adventures in raising chickens in the city of Minneapolis. After a couple of false starts - two hens turned out to be roosters! - she's now got three hens noisily cranking out pretty, pretty brown, pink, and blue eggs.
Probably because I haven't been very secret with my fascination, Kate very kindly offered to bring fresh eggs to a blogger event we both attended Monday night.
City-fresh eggs! I was over-the-moon. I need a life. I luckily had bacon jam to offer in trade so I wasn't a complete freeloader.
Bacon for eggs! Right?
The first eggs I ate were poached and fried, respectively. I didn't photograph them, or write about them, I just ate them. Fast, happily, not for public consumption, just between me and Hermione Granger, Peggy Olson, and Nina Totenberg. Those are the hens' names - beyond awesome. Nina Totenberg is my favorite, I'm listening to her on NPR as I write and totally cracking up. (Ooh, bad pun, sorry....)
They were every bit as delicious as I knew they'd be.
The next few eggs became this ridiculously simple, gluten-free souffle. This isn't a traditional souffle - no flour, so no bechamel - but the end result is still puffy and foamy at its center, surrounded by a golden, cheesy crust. I love that you whip it up in a blender - we're talking seriously low effort.
I added fresh thyme because fresh thyme is lovely with just about everything. Particularly city-fresh eggs.
Cheddar Souffle (Gluten-Free)
Adapted from a recipe by Jim Tuttle of Mount Dora Historic Inn via Steamy Kitchen
Serves 4
1 Tbsp. soft butter
4 oz. grated cheddar cheese
7 large eggs
4 oz. sour cream
1/3 c. whole milk
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
generous grating of fresh nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of a small souffle dish with the softened butter. Sprinkle the cheese in the bottom of the dish.
Add remaining ingredients to the bowl of a blender. Blend for 30 seconds, then pour egg mixture into the souffle dish. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the souffle is golden brown and puffy. (Be aware, the souffle will begin to fall about 45 seconds after taking it from the oven - all good!)
