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1
Butter 8 ramekins or one 4 cup/1-litre baking dish or souffle dish and dust, if you like, with grated Parmesan.
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2
Heat the oven to 400F/200C
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3
Bring a large kettle to the boil.
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4
Heat the milk with the bay leaf, cover, and leave to infuse off the heat 10 minutes.
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5
Remove the bay leaf.
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6
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in the flour, and cook the mixture 1 minute.
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7
Whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats a spoon, a matter of minutes.
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8
Whisk the yolks in a bowl and whisk in the hot bechamel a bit at a time .
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9
Remove from the heat and whisk in the vegetable puree and cheese.
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10
Season very highly.
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11
Beat the whites to stiff peaks.
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12
Stir some of the whites into the vegetable base to loosen it up.
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13
Then pour the vegetable mixture over the remaining whites and fold together gently.
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14
Spoon into the baking dishes.
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15
Run a finger around the edge so theyll rise evenly.
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16
Place the ramekins in the bain-marie.
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17
Pour water into the bain-marie.
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18
Bake until puffed high and golden on top, but still creamy in the centre, 15 to 25 minutes.
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19
Remove from the water bath and serve immediately.
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20
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