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Two-for-Two Cheese Soufflé

Source of Recipe

From "The Newlywed Cookbook" by Sarah Copeland


Recipe Introduction

"There is nothing cozier than a cheese soufflé for two. Light a candle, bring the dish to the table with two forks and an herby salad for two, and let the world melt away."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ½ cup finely grated aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
â—¦ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for buttering and brushing
â—¦ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ Pinch of nutmeg
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ¾ cup whole milk
â—¦ ½ small garlic clove, minced or pressed
â—¦ ¾ cup finely grated semihard cheese such as Manchego, Gruyère, or Comté, or a blend
â—¦ 3 large eggs, separated
â—¦ ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F with the rack in the middle of the oven. Butter an 8-cup soufflé mold and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano to coat completely all the way to the top. Shake any excess cheese out into a bowl. Put the mold in the freezer to chill.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour, nutmeg, and salt. Whisking constantly, cook the flour without browning, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk and garlic and continue to cook, whisking, at a low simmer until the mixture is smooth and thick like pudding, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Manchego and any Parmigiano-Reggiano left over from coating the molds and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Continue stirring vigorously with a rubber spatula to cool.

Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice in a spotless medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until they just hold a soft peak. The key is not to overwhip the whites, which would give your soufflé a cloudy instead of creamy consistency.

Fold one-fourth of the egg whites into the cheese mixture with a rubber spatula, carefully turning the bowl and mixing gently until the whites are streaked throughout. Add the remaining whites and fold in but don't overmix, which can deflate the whites.

Transfer the batter to the chilled mold and scatter the 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Place the dish on a baking sheet and set in the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 325° F, and bake until the soufflé is golden, puffed, and set but just a touch wobbly inside, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 2






� Cheese Primer:

A cheese soufflé is the sexiest way imaginable to use up leftover cheese since it benefits from a blend of different kinds. I like to use Spanish Manchego for the soufflé's tender insides, and a well-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano for a crisp, golden crust. Other cheeses like Gruyère or Comté, semihard alpine cheeses that age slightly sweet and buttery, are classic and excellent choices for a soufflé as well.