CARROT PUDDING SOUFFLES WITH BUTTERED SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, chopped carrots, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium-low after 15 minutes if needed to prevent carrots or butter from browning.)
• Stir in cream. Bring mixture just to a simmer, and immediately remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Using an immersion blender or a food processor, puree mixture (use caution when pureeing hot liquids in a food processor). Transfer carrot puree to a small bowl; set aside.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Whisk in milk gradually. Use a rubber spatula to scrape bottom and corners of pan.
• Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring often to prevent lumps from forming, 15 minutes. Whisk in carrot puree, and remove from heat. Stir in nutmeg, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter eight 6-ounce ramekins; set aside.
• Add yolks, one at a time, to carrot mixture, whisking well after each addition.
• Using a clean whisk or an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into carrot mixture.
• Ladle mixture into prepared ramekins, filling almost to the rims. Place ramekins in a roasting pan, and transfer to oven. Pour enough boiling water into pan to come about three-quarters of the way up sides of ramekins. Bake until souffles are puffed and set, and tops begin to brown, about 35 minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer the souffles to a wire rack, and let cool 10 minutes.
• Before serving, bring a medium pot of water to a boil; add 2 teaspoons salt. Add carrots; cook 2 minutes. Add peas; cook until carrots are tender and peas are bright green, about 2 minutes more.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Drain vegetables; toss with the melted butter.
• Invert each souffle onto a metal spatula, and then invert again onto a serving plate. Arrange carrots and peas on each plate. Garnish with pea shoots.