Carrot Pudding

Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish. Cook the carrots in boiling salted water until tender, about 30 minutes; drain well. Puree the carrots in a food processor, then scrape into a bowl. Let cool slightly, then stir the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the butter, flour, salt, pepper and a few gratings of nutmeg into the carrot puree.

In a stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Using a rubber spatula, stir one-third of the whites into the carrot mixture, then fold in the remaining whites in 2 batches; scrape into the prepared dish.

Set the soufflé dish in a baking pan and pour enough hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the side of the dish. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the pudding is set. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer the cream over low heat until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan and remove from the heat.

Run a sharp knife around the side of the pudding and invert it onto a round serving plate. Pour the Parmesan cream over the top and sprinkle with the chives. Cut into wedges and serve.