Twice-baked spinach and goat’s cheese soufflés

This tasty vegetarian main can easily be doubled or tripled.

MAKES 2 PREP 30min, plus cooling COOK about 1hr 5min

• 300g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

• 15g butter, plus extra to grease

• 1tbsp plain flour

• 1tsp Dijon mustard

• 100ml milk

• 50g vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated

• Freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 medium eggs, separated

• 75ml double cream

• 2 x ½cm-thick slices goat’s cheese log

1 Transfer defrosted spinach to a sieve and press with the back of a spoon to squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside.

2 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease 2 dariole moulds with butter and put a disc of baking parchment in the base of each. Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 30sec. Whisk in mustard, followed by milk. Cook, whisking, for 2min, until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in ½ the cheese, nutmeg to taste, spinach and plenty of seasoning. Transfer to a large bowl; cool for 5min.

3 Mix egg yolks into spinach bowl. In a clean medium bowl, with a clean whisk, beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Fold into spinach mixture. Spoon into prepared moulds (they will be full).

4 Put moulds into a small roasting tin and pour in just-boiled water to come halfway up the outside of the moulds. Cook in oven for 30min until risen and golden. Remove from oven, lift moulds out of water and set aside for 5min before running a knife around the inside of moulds and inverting soufflés on to a plate. Cool completely.

5 Increase oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Mix cream, remaining grated cheese and some seasoning, and pour into a small baking dish (that will just hold soufflés side by side). Transfer soufflés to dish; top each with a slice of goat’s cheese.

6 Return to oven for 20-25min, until goat’s cheese is lightly golden. Serve.

GET AHEAD Prepare to end of step 4 up to a day ahead. Cool, cover and chill. To serve, allow soufflés to come up to room temperature for 30min before completing recipe, allowing a little longer in oven, if needed.

PER SERVING: CALS 550; FAT 44G; SAT FAT 25G; CARBS 10G ➺