Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 medium white onion, finely diced
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk (low-fat milk can be substituted)
3 packed cups fresh spinach leaves
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
To prepare bechamel sauce, melt butter in medium saute pan over medium-low heat. Add onion, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes until onion is translucent. Add water and simmer until water has cooked away and onion caramelizes to golden-brown, stirring regularly for about 30 minutes. Add flour and stir til dissolved. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring often. Slowly pour milk into roux, stirring constantly, until fully blended. Simmer while stirring for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg and salt. Set aside or refrigerate for later use. Bring 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to a boil in a saucepan. Fill medium bowl with ice water. Submerge spinach in the boiling water for just an instant. Immediately drain and bathe in ice water for a couple minutes to cool spinach. Transfer to a colander and squeeze out excess water. Chop spinach and set aside. To temper bechamel into egg yolks, place lightly beaten egg yolks in a large, stainless steel bowl. Whisk a few drops of hot bechamel sauce into egg yolks. Continue whisking as you gradually add half the hot sauce into egg yolks. Then, add the last half of the hot sauce, whisking to combine thoroughly. Stir spinach into bechamel-egg mixture; cool down to room temperature and fold in the shredded Gruyere cheese. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. For appetizer portions, use eight, 3-ounce ceramic ramekins. For main course servings, use four, 6-ounce ramekins. Coat ramekins with olive oil, dust with a good coating of parmesan cheese and set aside. Prepare meringue by whipping egg whites and cream of tartar together until meringue reaches a medium-high peak. Fold 1/3 meringue into bechamel-spinach mixture to loosen it up. Continue to add remaining meringue by gently blending. Portion souffle mixture into prepared ramekins. Sprinkle each souffle top with parmesan cheese. Bake 3-ounce ramekins for 20 minutes, or 6-ounce ramekins for 25 minutes until golden-brown. Serve immediately.
