Butternut Squash Soufflé

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ready In: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
9oz (250g) lardons or bacon, cubed
2 cloves of garlic, diced
2 shallots, diced
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
4 eggs, separated
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
½ cup parmesan, grated
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Pre-heat an oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

2. Place the bacon in a pan, over a medium-high heat, and allow the fat to render and the bacon to begin to brown and become slightly crispy.

3. Add the garlic, shallots, and fresh thyme to the bacon and soften them, taking care not to brown them.

4. Boil or steam the butternut squash for 12 minutes, or until them become soft and tender and then roughly mash them.

5. To the mash, add the egg yokes and combine. Then add the parmesan and mix thoroughly. Finally mix in the bacon, garlic, shallots and thyme, and season with salt and pepper, making sure that you taste before seasoning, as the bacon will provide a lot of saltiness.

6. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Add a large spoonful of the egg whites to the butternut squash mash, and mix through. Then add the butternut squash mash into the rest of the whites and fold together carefully, taking care not to knock out too much of the air in the whites.

7. Place the mixture into a greased soufflé dish, and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Then turn down the oven to 325ºF (160ºC) and continue to bake the soufflé for a further 15-20 minutes. Remove when soufflé has risen and is golden brown.