Recipe: Cheese soufflé

I am happy to be demystifying the aura of complication around a souffle I held for so many years - this souffle was simple and quick. Perhaps it was 10 minutes from start to finish before the soufflé went into the oven.

Preheat oven to 375 and collect

ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• hard cheese ends from cheese drawer
• anchovy paste (if desired)
• 1 cup milk
• salt and butter

Directions

T-minus 10 minutes - Grate about 1 ½ cups of cheese (we used Manchego, Comte, Sheep Gouda and a bit of cheddar).

T-minus 9 minutes - Butter inside of soufflé dish, coat inside with cheese and turn on fire under butter in pan.

T-minus 8 minutes - Stir butter as it melts, add 2 tablespoons of flour to the butter and continue to stir (we are making the famous roux).

T-minus 7 minutes - Slowly add the milk to the flour and butter mixture to create béchamel sauce (one of the classic “mother sauces” of French cooking).

I had always been a bit intimidated by the making of such a schmancy sounding sauce. As the cold milk hit the perfectly combined flour and butter to create lumps at supersonic speed, my heart did a small back flip. However, I persevered and, by rapidly continuing to stir the mixture, the lumps disappeared. And they disappeared quickly. (Some recipes recommend scalding the milk prior, and I can see why.)

T-minus 6 minutes - Pour the béchamel sauce into a bowl and add salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon anchovy paste. (We like anchovies). Let sit to cool slightly.

T-minus 5 minutes - Separate eggs.

T-minus 4 minutes - Make sure that the racks in the oven are low enough so that the soufflé will have room to grow. Scratch the dog.

T-minus 3 minutes - Whisk in the egg yolks into the béchamel sauce until incorporated.

T-minus 2 minutes - Whip the egg whites until soft peaks are formed.

T-minus 1 minute - Using a large spoon, incorporate the egg whites and the cheese into the egg yolk béchamel mixture until completely amalgamated.

Pour into the soufflé dish, gently carry to the oven and place slowly on the rack!

Bake for 35 minutes.

The results (for our first soufflé) were sublime. Light, airy, full of flavor - superb!

 This recipe was written by Corinna Borden and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on March 8, 2010.