I have literally made this Gruyère Cheese and Chive Soufflé hundreds of times, especially when we were first married. It’s cheap and cheerful, as the Brits would say. I love making things that don’t cost much, but have an air of elegance.
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Yields: 6 Servings
Ingredients
4 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup milk
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 cup gruyère cheese, shredded
2 Tbs chives, minced
4 egg whites, at room temperature
Directions
1Preheat oven to 400˚, and butter a 6 cup soufflé dish. Dust inside of dish with 1 Tbs Parmesan by tilting dish and allowing cheese to roll and stick to butter. Set aside.
2Melt remaining butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes, making sure it doesn’t brown. This is called a “roux,” which is the base for many white sauces. Slowly whisk in milk and cayenne until smooth, and continue stirring for about 4-5 minutes to form a béchamel sauce. This sauce should be thick. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3Whisk the egg yolks, the cheese, chives and remaining tablespoon of Parmesan. Set aside.
4With a hand mixer, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir 1/4 of whites into soufflé base. Fold in remaining whites, being careful not to over-mix.
5Gently spoon mixture into soufflé dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350˚ and bake 10 more minutes.