Stay curious. Those were some words of advice I heard someone share last week. And they resonated with me. For anyone growing up hearing the life limiting adage 'curiosity killed the cat', imagine if instead you heard the words 'stay curious'. Our mindset would be one open to and looking for possibilities. Staying curious about life, food, the people we think we know, and the people we meet, to name a few, might also be what keeps us on the life long journey of discovering the best version of ourselves. Have you ever noticed how energizing it is to be around others willing to try or even taste something new or different? Sometime last summer we invited some friends to dinner where one of the side dishes was Florentine-Style Peas (a dish made with fresh peas and guanciale). I was excited to serve this dish for a myriad of reasons, but unbeknownst to me these friends happened to be in the 'we don't like peas' camp. Only I didn't know this until after they each tried and had second helpings of the peas. In retrospect, I learned they both had stay curious mindsets. Needless to say, I absolutely love cooking for and having stay curious kind of people at my dinner table.
I can't remember the last time I made or even ate a souffle. I actually had forgotten how easy and delicious they are. But after seeing a recipe for a souffle that could be either made and immediately baked or made, refrigerated and baked later had me a bit curious. Could I still channel my inner Julia Child and make a light, airy, beautiful, scrumptious, swoonworthy cheese souffle? Could this be the cheese souffle recipe that would shift me from thinking of a souffle as main dish to it being either a main or side dish? I am happy to say the answer is a resounding YES to both of those musings.
In French a cheese souffle is called "Souffle au Fromage". Essentially a souffle is nothing more than a white sauce flavored with a grated cheese that has been 'lifted' with egg whites then baked in a relatively hot oven. Rather than viewing it as a difficult or intimidating dish to make, think of it as simple ingredients coming together to make an incredibly impressive egg dish.
One of the keys to making a successful souffle is having all of your ingredients ready, preparing the baking dish, and preheating your oven.
Traditionally, souffles are made in round souffle dishes. But they really don't have to be. Feel free to make then in an oval ceramic dish or even an oval cast iron dish.
Next to having your ingredients prepped, whipping your egg whites to medium-stiff, yet still smooth and creamy, peaks is key. And by carefully folding your egg whites, in either three or four additions, into the cheese mixture will help ensure the souffle will have its' characteristic light and airy texture.
As much as you might be curious as to whether your souffle is rising or not, this may be the one time where you need to keep your curiosity in check. In other words, do not open your oven until the 20 or 25 minute mark.
If the Gruyere Cheese Souffle isn't going to be the main course, consider serving it as a side dish with a roasted chicken (even a rotisserie chicken!) and a salad. For those of you who love wine with your meals, a chilled bottle of Chardonnay or even a white Pinot Noir would compliment the meal perfectly.
While you can make the souffle mixture ahead of time (see notes), it needs to be served immediately. However, even after it deflates as it cools, it is still incredibly delicious. We couldn't stop eating it! Bon Appetit!
Recipe
Gruyere Cheese Souffle
Serves 4 as a main dish, up to 6 as a side dish
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the dish
1-2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 medium or 1 large shallot (2 ounces/50g), finely minced
1/4 cup (33g) all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
3 1/2 ounces (98g) gruyere cheese, grated
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Optional but good: Add a pinch of cayenne to the batter (it's what Julia Child would do)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Butter a 9"x7" dish and generously dust with the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add in the minced shallots and cook until translucent (about 5-6 minutes).
3. Add in the flour and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
4. Slowly add in the milk, whisking constantly (mixture will be thick). Bring mixture to a boil (look for at least one bubble to emerge). Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
5. Add in the grated gruyere cheese, stirring until it has melted.
6. Stir in the Kosher salt, white pepper, grated nutmeg, and cayenne (if using).
7. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks one at a time. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and keep warm.
8. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until stiff (but still slightly soft) peaks form. Be careful to not over beat the egg whites to the point of dryness. They should be creamy and smooth yet still have stiff peaks. Note: Do not beat your egg whites ahead of time. Beat them just before they get get folded into the cheese mixture.
9. Fold in the whipped egg whites in three additions to the cheese mixture until well combined. But do not overfold.
10. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Place dish on a baking sheet and place in the oven. See notes.
11. Bake for 5 minutes at 400 degrees (F). Then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees (F) and continue baking for 15-20 minutes or until puffed up, golden brown, and not too jiggly in the center. Note: Do not open up the oven door before checking it at the 15 minute mark. My baking time was closer to 20 minutes or a total of 25 minutes.
121. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Notes: (1) Slight adaptations made to Susan Spungen's Stress Less Cheese Souffle Recipe. (2) After transferring the egg/cheese mixture into the baking dish, you can cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Take out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to baking if using a ceramic dish. (3) I used a slightly large 8" x 11" baking dish. It worked, but next time I would use a slightly smaller baking dish. Maybe even a 9" round (high sided) baking dish. (4) Make sure your cream of tartar is nor expired before adding to the egg whites.
