THE AMERICAN WAY CHEESE SOUFFLE: PERFECTION WITH A CUISINART

Thursday, May 6, 2010

The souffle is one of my most favorite dishes to make and to eat. Here in the United States, people make a big fuss over them not just because they taste exquisite but also because people think that only restaurants and gourmet cooks can make them. In France, the souffle is an everyday-no-big-deal-everyone-and-their-mother-has-a-great-recipe type of dish. It is weeknight fare there. It might take longer than thirty minutes from refrigerator to table, but most of it happens in the oven.

A classic savory souffle is a combination of bechamel sauce (milk added to a roux of butter and flour) which is enriched with egg yolks. Ingredients like cheese, meat, seafood, or vegetables are mixed in and then, stiffly beaten egg whites are gently folded into the mixture. This batter is baked in a souffle dish and served straight from the oven. Before the invention of the electric mixer in 1922, beating egg whites to stiff peaks was not for the weak or the impatient. Today, anyone with a mixer can get it done in about ten minutes. That makes cooking a souffle not a big deal. That is a beautiful thing.

But, I digress. This is a recipe for short-cut souffle; the American Way Souffle. The eggs are not separated. The whites are not beaten. You don’t even make the bechamel sauce. Instead, whole eggs, cheese, butter, and cream cheese are all are mixed together in a cuisinart, poured into a souffle dish, and baked. It takes about…..five minutes.

The result is astoundingly delicious. Like regular cheese souffle, this recipe makes a wonderful lunch or supper alongside a baguette and a mixed green salad with vinaigrette. It is also perfect party fare. I recently served it at a dinner party with blue corn tortilla chips, chipotle salsa, beef tenderloin, and a mixed green salad. Everyone “oooed” and “aaahhhed”. They kept going back for more until it was all gone.

Butter for greasing the souffle dish
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated to coat the dish
1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, cut into large chunks
1/2 lb gruyere cheese, cut into large chunks
1/2 lb pepper jack cheese, cut into large chunks
12 oz cream cheese, softened (use full fat)
6 whole eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup white wine

1. PREP: Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 2 1/2 liter souffle dish and then sprinkle the bottom and sides with Parmesan cheese. Place all remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until cheese is shredded and ingredients are combined.

2. BAKE: Pour mixture into souffle dish and bake until middle is set, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Peace and love from my kitchen to yours,
Waverly