Sam Beall's Carrot Soufflé

Name: Sam Beall's Carrot Soufflé
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to butter the dish; 2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds; 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon; 1 cup whole milk; 1 cup crushed saltine crackers; 3/4 cup, or about 3 ounces, grated sharp Cheddar; 1/3 cup minced or grated onion (about 1/2 medium onion); 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 3 large eggs

By Kim Severson

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Rating: 4(196)
Comments: Read comments

This is more of a casserole than a traditional soufflé. It comes from Sam Beall, the proprietor of Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, who died at age 39 in a ski accident. The dish makes its seasonal debut on the Beall family table at Thanksgiving, but paired with a salad, it becomes lunch or a light dinner any time of year. Use the sweetest carrot you can find, and grate the onions on the same grater you use for the cheese to save a little prep and clean-up time. Many of the steps are easy enough for children, making it a great dish for teaching cooking skills. It will become part of your winter rotation, and travels well.

Featured in: A Widow Takes the Helm at Blackberry Farm

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

1tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to butter the dish
2pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1cup whole milk
1cup crushed saltine crackers
¾cup, or about 3 ounces, grated sharp Cheddar
⅓cup minced or grated onion (about ½ medium onion)
⅛teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3large eggs

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish or baking dish.
Step 2
Put the carrots in a large pot and cover with about an inch of water. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt and boil the carrots until they are tender enough to yield to the tip of a knife, about 10 minutes.
Step 3
Strain the carrots and purée them in a food processor. Put them in a large bowl; stir in the milk, cracker crumbs, cheese, onion, butter, cayenne, black pepper and remaining salt.
Step 4
In another bowl, beat the eggs until they are quite foamy. Using a whisk and a gentle touch, mix the eggs into the carrot mixture.
Step 5
Scrape the mixture into the buttered dish and bake for about 45 minutes, until the soufflé is slightly puffed, light golden brown and pulling away from the sides of the dish. Serve warm.

Ratings

4 out of 5

196 user ratings

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Comments

Faded elegance7 years ago

Better version is "carrot custard" from Lee Bailey's "Country Weekends." Boil 14 oz peeled and chunked carrots 20 mins til extremely tender. Purée in processor with 2. Tb unsalted butter. Add 2 eggs + 1/2 cup milk with pinch each of nutmeg, salt, pepper. Process til smooth. Bake in buttered 8" cake pan in a water bath at 375 for about 30 mins. Let rest in pan on wire rack for about 10 and unmold onto platter. Holds beautifully; can be made ahead; is also good cold.

Maggie7 years ago

In traditionsl Southern cooking, most casseroles made with eggs are called "souffles."

Francesca7 years ago

I would reduce the amount of salt. Loved the texture and easiness but next time will not add salt to water

jenn c2 months ago

I just pulled this out of the oven, following the directions except for using petite, organic baby carrots, and adding a bit more cayenne pepper and puréed ginger. Bra Ted the onions. Would I call it a soufflé?? no, but it is a delicious side dish paired with a protein I think it’s a wonderful accompaniment to an Easter lamb. I did boil the carrots, did not add salt to the water

Logan Geeslin3 months ago

Can I substitute frozen carrots and skip boiling them?

Judy NY1 year ago

I have made this multiple times, exactly as written, and always get compliments.

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