Painter Georgia O’Keeffe, a free spirit noted for her desertscapes and bold, luxuriant florals on canvas, is my favorite artist, so I was delighted to find a cookbook filled with Ghost Ranch recipes on Amazon. I’ve repeatedly come back to one recipe for Tomato Soufflé, serving it in many variations, with different fresh herbs, seasonings and vegetables, pairing it with simply grilled chicken, fish or a steak.
It is unpretentious, like the artist herself, and the works she created in what many consider an austere environment, the territory I grew up in and find wildly and wondrously beautiful, a retreat I come back to frequently, if not in person, then in my dreams.
Tomato soufflé has yet to fail me. With the fluffy consistency and feel on the tongue of old-fashioned Southern spoon bread, the soufflé’ eagerly puffs up in the oven within an hour’s baking time. It is hardy, has yet to fall, and those of us acquainted with soufflés (I made my first one, a total failure, at age 13 for some older cousins who never let me live it down) can attest, they can be prone to humiliating mishaps.
For variations, add some canned, drained mushrooms, some mild minced onion and/or shredded vegetables like fresh zucchini (pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture) or other favorites.
Georgia O’Keeffe’s Tomato Soufflé
- 3 T. butter
- 3 T. flour
- 1 cup homemade tomato sauce or a high-quality brand of canned sauce
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 t. cumin or more to taste
- ¼ t. herbed salt
- 4 eggs, separated
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until a roux forms, the slowly add tomato sauce, stirring as the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add cheese, cumin and salt. Stir to blend and cool. Add egg yolks one at a time.
Beat egg whites until peaks form. Carefully fold egg whites into cheese and tomato mixture, then spoon mixture into a well-buttered soufflé dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until soufflé has risen and slightly firm. Serve in wedges, with some freshly ground pepper. Serves five.
My quick version:
Drain large can (Cento) tomatoes and put in blender with four eggs, 3 T. flour, 3 T. butter, two cups of cheese and seasonings. Add drained veggies, if desired. Blend vigorously until smooth, then turn into a buttered soufflé dish. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees, until soufflé has puffed up, is slightly firm and turned golden on top. Cool and serve.
About the Writer:
Rebecca Jackson is a veteran newspaper person/journalist based in Bedford County, VA. A native of California and an M.A. graduate of Arizona State University, she has a passion for pets (animals), good food/cooking, music, wine, horticulture, photography and travel.
