Salzburg's sweet souffle: the city knows the sound of music and the shape of dessert - includes recipe

Sunset, June, 1999 by Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

The city knows the sound of music and the shape of dessert

Long ago in Mozart's birthplace, I tasted the city's most famous dessert, Salzburger nockerln. The puffy baked eggs, simply served with whipped cream, sounded so easy to make that I tucked away an approximate formula in my head: separate the eggs and use 1 tablespoon of sugar for each white and 1 teaspoon of flour for each yolk. Whip them separately, fold together, and bake. At home I embellish the idea but not the process. The result is golden and velvety, like a sun-drenched cloud - a stellar main dish for brunch.

Raspberry-Macaroon Souffle

PREP AND COOK TIME: 30 to 35 minutes

NOTES: If you serve with whipped cream, another delicious addition is grated semisweet chocolate; sprinkle over servings.

MAKES: 6 servings

6 large eggs

6 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/3 cup apricot jam

3/4 cup (2 to 3 oz.) coarsely crushed amaretti or almond macaroons

3 cups raspberries, rinsed and drained

Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

1. Separate egg whites and yolks. Put whites in a large, deep bowl, and yolks in a medium bowl. With a mixer on high speed, whip whites until they hold soft peaks; gradually adding sugar, beat on high speed until whites hold stiff peaks, 3 to 5 minutes total. Scrape whites off beaters but don't wash.

2. With mixer on high speed, whip yolks for 1 minute. Add flour and beat on high speed until mixture is very thick, 2 to 3 minutes more.

3. Put an 8 1/2- to 9-inch-wide (or 7- by 10-in. oval) ovenproof frying pan or shallow metal pan over medium heat; add butter and jam. Heat until butter is melted, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Turn heat to low and sprinkle about half the cookie crumbs and 1 cup of the berries into pan.

4. Stir about 1/4 of the egg whites into the yolks, then fold yolk mixture into whites (top left); some streaking is fine.

5. Turn heat to medium-high and quickly mound egg mixture in pan (bottom left). Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Cook about 1 minute.

6. Set pan in a 350 [degrees] oven and bake until eggs are tinged with brown and set, but still slightly creamy, in the center (jiggle to test), 15 to 18 minutes (10 to 12 minutes in a convection oven).

7. Meanwhile, divide remaining berries equally among wide bowls. Serve souffle immediately, dipping to bottom of pan to spoon sauce and souffle into bowls. Add whipped cream to taste.

Per serving: 280 cal., 32% (90 cal.) from fat; 7.8 g protein; 10 g fat (3.9 g sat.); 41 g carbo (3.2 g fiber); 114 mg sodium; 223 mg chol.

Venerable vegetable

Creamed spinach endures. It's holding its own on menus in restaurants weathered by time and tradition. One such institution is the charmingly rustic, century-old Saddle Peak Lodge tucked into the hills of Calabasas, California. Chef Alex Scrimgeour gives creamed spinach an unexpected dash of panache by adding a touch of anise flavor.

Creamed Spinach with Pernod

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 15 minutes

NOTES: Buy trimmed, cleaned spinach. If you don't have anise-flavor liqueur, add 1/2 teaspoon anise seed to the boiling cream mixture instead.

MAKES: 2 cups; 4 to 6 servings

1 pound (4 to 4 1/2 qt.) spinach leaves, rinsed and drained

1 cup whipping cream

About 3/4 teaspoon fresh-grated or ground nutmeg

About 2 tablespoons Pernod or other dry anise-flavor liqueur

Salt and pepper

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, stir spinach until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain, saving liquid. Puree about half the spinach in a food processor or blender.

2. Return reserved spinach liquid to pan and add cream, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon Pernod. Boil over high heat until mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in pureed and whole spinach and additional nutmeg and Pernod to taste; stir until bubbling. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 141 cal., 83% (117 cal.) from fat; 3 g protein; 13 g fat (7.8 g sat.); 5.5 g carbo (2 g fiber); 73 mg sodium; 44 mg chol.

Hot off the grill

For barbecue enthusiasts, Weber's Art of the Grill: Recipes for Outdoor Living, by Jamie Purviance (Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1999; $35; 800/722-6657), is a rich resource. Practical - as expected from master barbecue manufacturer Weber-Stephen Products Co. - and handsome, this book is full of imaginative recipes and beautiful photographs. Its chapters are devoted to courses, with bonus wine suggestions and entertaining ideas.

Liver, bacon, and onions

Once viewed as a wholesome necessity to be consumed under duress, liver, bacon, and onions have nonetheless always had a loyal following. In our house, only my father and I had a taste for this combination, so I mastered the dish early on - and felt healthier for the effort. Today's fans, however, must deal with the guilt of cholesterol overload, and pace the indulgence. Here's a top-notch version that will make it a rare treat.

Lemon Bacon and Red Onions with Calf's Liver

PREP AND COOK TIME: 45 minutes

NOTES: Up to 4 hours ahead, bake the bacon; cool, wrap airtight (don't stack), and let stand at room temperature. Serve with watercress salad.