Recipe: Lambert's of Taos Acorn Squash Souffle

LAMBERT'S OF TAOS ACORN SQUASH SOUFFLE

About 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
About 3 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
1 medium acorn squash
2 ears corn in the husk
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup diced red onion
Salt and ground black pepper
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter four 1 1/2 -cup souffle dishes, sprinkle with bread crumbs and set aside.

Bake squash until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Bake corn 15 to 20 minutes. Set corn and squash aside until just cool enough to handle (you want to use the vegetables while they are warm enough to help melt the cheese).

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Put cream cheese and onion in a mixing bowl. Husk the warm corn, slice off kernels and add to bowl.

Halve squash, remove seeds, peel off skin and add flesh to bowl. With a spoon, mash ingredients together until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Separate eggs, stirring yolks into squash mixture and putting whites into a medium bowl. With electric mixer or wire whisk, beat whites until stiff. Gently fold whites into squash mixture. Spoon one-fourth of mixture into each prepared souffle dish. Immediately set dishes in oven.

Bake until souffles are puffed and slightly browned, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
From: Zeke Lambert, Lambert's of Taos (New Mexico)
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch