The European cookbook for American homes (from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France)

Melt butter, add flour and stir smooth. Take from fire and stir in boiling-hot milk. Beat and stir until free from all lumps; cook 15-20 minutes in double boiler; cool. Beat egg whites very stiff; yolks very light. Beat the cooled white sauce, then whip it together with the yolks, adding seasonings. Gently fold and mix in the beaten whites. Have ready a thick buttered baking dish in the shape of a mixing bowl. Turn mixture into the dish — it should be half full. Set into moderate oven (3500 F.) and bake 30-40 minutes, laying a paper across the top of the dish if it browns too fast. Rush it to the table; cut down in sections with a sharp knife dipped in melted butter and lay on the plates with a pie-server, taking great care not to injure the delicate texture or make the souffle fall while serving. This recipe makes a sufficient entree for 8 persons, or a luncheon dish for 6 if no meat is being served. Cheese Souffle is made by adding l/4 pound grated cheese to yolk of egg mixture. In her "Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas," Gertrude Stein has Alice say several times, in discussing modern artists gone prosperous, "and then they moved from their old studio . . . and had a servant and the servant of course made a souffle." Provence THERESFS SPINACH SOUFFLE (Souffle aux Epinards a la Therese) 3 cups cooked spinach % teaspoon nutmeg iY2 tablespoons butter, melted 5 tablespoons bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon flour sifted 1 cup milk, hot 6 eggs Salt and pepper 1 cup whipped cream Drain spinach as dry as possible and chop to a mush. Make a thick cream sauce of butter, flour, and milk. Add seasonings and nutmeg and cool. Add spinach and J4 CUP bread crumbs and mix thoroughly. Beat egg yolks light and egg whites stiff. Add yolks and whipped cream, then fold in whites. Butter a deep bowl or mold and scatter with remaining crumbs, then pour in mixture. It should be % full. Bake 30-45 minutes in pan of hot water set in moderate oven (350°F.). If a hollow mold is used the souffle may be unmolded and center filled with creamed chicken, veal, or mushrooms. Burgundy POACHED EGGS BURGUNDY STYLE (GEufs Poches a la Bourguignonne) 1 tablespoon beef extract Salt and pepper 2 cups stock 1 onion, minced Yi cup white wine 2 tablespoons butter 1 herb bouquet 2 egg yolks, beaten 6 extra fresh eggs Toast Heat extract, stock, wine and bouquet to boiling. Remove bouquet. Poach eggs in mixture until they just hold together. Place on a platter and season. Fry onion golden in butter, add to liquid and reduce %. Remove from fire and stir the egg yolks; steam until sauce thickens. Place toast on a platter, pour sauce over and lay a poached egg on each piece. If eggs are to be served without toast, pour sauce into a hot platter, lay eggs on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Brown lightly. Bugey and Franche-Comte THE FONDU The Fondu (mellowness) is made in France according to many recipes for mixing eggs and cheese with various seasonings. Savarin borrowed this delightful Swiss cheese savory from its native land about a century ago.