Blue Cheese Soufflés

Have you ever made a soufflé? I hadn't until the January issue of Food & Wine Magazine arrived several weeks ago. Molly and I are avid watchers of Bravo's Top Chef television show, which puts up and coming chefs through the paces. Because of stress and time limits, sometimes the best of intentions yield really poor results. In January, F&W's Gail Simmons (also a judge on Top Chef) re-worked some of the Top Chef recipes that flopped in prior seasons of the show, yielding what the contestants no doubt had in mind when they began the recipes under the gun.

Well one of our favorites, Carla, had her recipe in the article and I was dying to make it. It combines my love eggs and blue cheese all in one! I had never made a soufflé before, but they couldn't be easier. It's all a matter of whipping the items together, pouring them into a ramekin or soufflé dish that's been buttered, and waiting till they rise and cook. One important must when it comes to these egg concoctions: they must be eaten immediately or they'll fall and become disgusting little messes in a white porcelain container. Also, I substituted English Stilton for Roquefort in this recipe, mostly because I had it on hand and it is a bit milder, but just by a smidge. Enjoy!



Blue Cheese Soufflés
Recipe by Gail Simmons

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus softened butter for the ramekins
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 ounces Roquefort cheese (or your favorite crumbly blue!)
5 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons snipped chives

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter four 1-cup ramekins and coat each one with 1 tablespoon of the grated Parmigiano.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add the milk, salt and cayenne and cook, whisking, until very thick and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and whisk in the Roquefort and the remaining 1/4 cup of grated Parmigiano. Whisk in the egg yolks and chives.

3. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Fold the beaten whites into the cheese mixture until no streaks remain. Pour the mixture into the ramekins, filling them three-fourths of the way; set the ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake the soufflés for about 20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Place the soufflés on plates and serve immediately.

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Eric
Eric Lovelin Photography