This week I made a soufflé! I have always wanted to make one but had never taken the time. I was intimidated because I always hear how difficult they can be to make. Cooking with eggs is a little fussy. Eggs are powerhouse proteins, and they are very easy to overcook.
I opted for a Gruyére and Chive Soufflé. Egg dishes tend to be very rich, especially when you add cheese. I like to use the bite of either chives or green onion to cut the richness of eggs.
I started by heating a cup of whole milk until steaming in a small saucepan. While the milk was heating, I melted three tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. I whisked in three tablespoons of flour and cooked for about three minutes. I turned off the heat and whisked in the warmed milk, making a roux. I turned the heat back on and cooked the roux for another three minutes. I then added salt, paprika, and a pinch of nutmeg. I turned the heat off and whisked in four egg yolks, one at a time, making sure they were thoroughly combined. I transferred the egg yolk to a large bowl and set aside.
Now, I beat five egg whites with cream of tartar in a stand mixer until the egg whites held a stiff peak. I whisked a quarter of the egg whites in the yolk mixture. I then added a remaining egg white mixture, folding gently, while also adding gruyére, parmesan cheese, and chives. Once this was all combined, I added the mixture to a prepared one and one half quart soufflé dish. I prepared this dish by coating the inside with melted butter and grated parmesan cheese. The parmesan cheese helps the soufflé to rise, and the butter creates a nice brown crust. Sooooooo yummy. You then run a spoon around the top of the souffle, to create a little channel, about a quarter of an inch from the side. I then put it into a 400˚ oven on the lowest rack, immediately reducing the oven temperature to 375˚. It took about 30 minutes to bake, and I did not open the oven door once.
Amazingly, it turned out perfect. It was delicious. The top was brown and crusty, and the sides were golden brown. The middle is soft and tender. I served it with a spinach salad with lemon vinaigrette.
For this recipe, I used the New York times recipe for Gruyére and Chive Soufflé. I did follow Julia Child's soufflé instructions.
I have now wrapped up the egg chapter. Hooray! Next week I'll be moving on to fish. I'll be making Fillets De Poisson Pochés Au Vin Blanc or Fish Fillets Poached in White Wine. This fish will be poached en papillote or in paper. Basically, you cook the fish in a little parchment paper envelope with herbs and liquid, and the fish steams. I have never cooked this way and am looking forward to it.