Thanksgiving Recipes: Light and Fluffy Carrot Soufflés

Here's a delicious Thanksgiving side dish recipe from our friends at Agricultural Community Events Farmers Markets, the non-profit group that puts on the Marinwood, Downtown Novato, Fairfax, Petaluma East, and Santa Rosa Community Farmers' Markets, among others. What's great about this recipe is it tells you which farmers' market vendors you can buy the ingredients from!

Ingredients

• 8 medium carrots, chopped (Calvillo Brothers at Marinwood Farmers' Market, Ortiz Brothers at Marinwood, Petaluma East Side Farmers and Santa Rosa Farmers' Market, Tolay Valley Farm at Marinwood Farmers Market)
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (Springhill Cheese at Petaluma East Side and Santa Rosa Farmers' Market) plus more for ramekins
• 1 small onion finely chopped (Calvillo Brothers at Marinwood Community Farmers Market, Ortiz Brothers at Marinwood, Petaluma East Side and Santa Rosa)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 1/3 cup(s) whole milk
• 8 large eggs, separated (Wylands at Petaluma East Side Farmers Market, Two Rock Cheese Organic Eggs at Petaluma East Side Farmers' Market, Victorian Farmstead and Felton Acres at Santa Rosa Farmers' Market)

Directions

In a medium pot over high heat, bring 2 inches water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking water. Purée carrots in a food processor until smooth. If needed, add 2 to 3 tablespoons cooking water; purée should measure 1 to 1 1/4 cups. Discard remaining cooking water.

In same pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove pot from heat. While stirring, gradually add milk. Return pot to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in carrot purée and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, butter eight 3/4-cup ramekins; set on a baking pan.

In a medium bowl and using an electric beater, beat egg yolks until pale, about 3 minutes. Stir yolks into carrot mixture. In another bowl and using a whisk, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Add 1 1/2 cups egg whites to carrot mixture and stir to combine. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold remaining egg whites into carrot mixture.

Divide mixture among ramekins and bake until soufflés puff up, 20 to 25 minutes—do not open oven during baking.