Cheese Souffle (Gluten-Free)

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!)