Carrot Souffle

It took exactly one visit for Ben and I to fall in love with Richards Wine Bar.  It is the cutest little restaurant with the most personable and interesting owner - you guessed it - Richard.  The food and the wine offerings are more than I ever expected from this unassuming little piano bar.  If you're a foodie like me, you are in for a real treat.  And if you feel like your knowledge of wine is somewhat minimal (again, like me) you will leave educated and pretty much achieve sommelier status.  😂

​Richard is a wine expert in my book.  He knows his wine and the best food-wine pairings in his restaurant.  I needed a LOT of help with my wine choice - but food choices - now that was easy.  I excel at eating.  There were a lot of great looking dinners on the menu but the one that called out to me immediately was the lemon dill salmon.  The other thing that spoke to me - California carrot souffle. 🥕What???  I love carrots - I love souffle but I've never heard of a carrot souffle.  I was just curious enough to give it a try.  

Turns out - the carrot souffle at Richard's Wine Bar is AMAZING!  I don't really know how to describe it but it's creamy and buttery and complex.  I was so enamored by it that I gobbled up the entire dish of souffle before I stopped to analyze exactly what might have been in it.  😂  My goal has been to go back to Richards Wine Bar with the primary intent of ordering the carrot souffle so that I could dissect and figure out how to make it for myself at home.  Well, that hasn't happened yet so I'm giving it my best attempt today.  

Carrot Souffle
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2" chunks
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" chunks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook carrots and potatoes in 4 quarts of salted water for 25-30 minutes.  Drain.

Mash carrots and potatoes. 

Stir in cream , cheese, egg and salt.

Divide mixture among 8 ramekins.

Bake 25 minutes at 425.  

What happens when you add potatoes, heavy cream and cheese to a batch of carrots?  Rich, creamy, delicious carrot souffle happens.  And it's fabulous.  Now I need to ask Richard what wine he would recommend as a perfect pairing for my carrot souffle.  

Ciao!

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