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I promise, Zucchini Souffle will behave for you. I dropped mine on the counter one time while I was unmolding it from its baking pan, and it survived. I fearlessly re-greased the pan, spooned the souffle mixture back into it, baked it for another 10 minutes, and voila! The souffle unmolded perfectly and even puffed up a little more after the second baking. Zucchini Souffle is one handy little recipe to pull out of your bag of tricks when you're looking for a side dish, or light meal, to bring to a barbecue, potluck or family get together, maybe even for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday. The souffle travels well, can be served directly from the pan it's baked in, or -- unmolded onto a serving platter. The recipe is versatile, too, as it can be prepared with eggplant instead of zucchini and the ham which it contains, can be omitted, if you prefer. I like to serve this souffle with homemade fresh marinara sauce, this one flavored with a bit of fresh orange zest, but jarred sauce will do in a pinch. Besides beaten egg whites, the souffle is also made with a thick bechamel sauce (a French cooking term for "white sauce"). When making Zucchini Souffle, be sure to drain the zucchini very well -- once after steaming and again after mashing. Zucchini is 95 percent water-- so don't overlook this important step. And, here's a tip about separating eggs -- eggs are easier to separate when they are cold and will whip better for you at room temperature. In addition, egg whites won't whip if there's so much as a speck of yolk in them, so it's best to separate eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl before adding them to your mixing bowl -- again, using just one egg white at a time.
Sue Ade is a syndicated food writer with broad experience and interest in the culinary arts. She has worked and resided in the Lowcountry of South Carolina since 1985 and may be reached at kitchenade@yahoo.com.
