Wednesday 15 August 2012

Cheese Souffle

Cheese Souffle!

I am not the only one who became absolutely smitten when I saw the movie Julie and Julia. I am unashamedly part of the fan club 100%! This is why I came dashing in the door from work, to change into a more appropriate outfit (Julia Child Style), take a dorky photo of it, and immediately commence the 100th Birthday Celebration for a most inspiring French Chef.

It took me all day to figure out exactly what I wanted to make.
Mousse au chocolaté: YES I LOVE CHOCOLATE (duh)... oh but it won't be ready until tomorrow? NOPE I want to celebrate immediately.
Boeuf bourguignon: Classic, oh but that takes forever and a day. Mother will not approve.
French Onion Soup: Ohhhh Mother will SO approve, but this also takes a while to caramelize the onions yada yada

I am noticing that good French food takes time. Which apparently I don't have much of. A little thing called SHOPPING FOR AN IPHONE gets in the way... which I totally don't mind...

BUT... Luckily for me and my desire to want to celebrate immediately, there is a classic french dish that:

  • I have never eaten but always wanted to
  • I have never made but always wanted to
  • I found a recipe by Julia Child for it on foodnetwork.com
  • It MUST be served immediately.
HOORAY FOR CHEESE SOUFFLE!

All puffy and golden and glorious. A cheese pillow.
I found this recipe here, but it is originally from Julia Child's book: Julia's Kitchen Wisdom. And boy does she have some wisdom in the kitchen.
Julia Child's Cheese Souffle
Recipe not at all adapted because it is delicious as is from Julia's Kitchen Wisdom. Serves 4

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup hot milk
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • pinch nutmeg
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1 cup grated swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Butter a 6-cup souffle or straight-sided baking dish with 11/2 tablespoons butter. Dust the interior of the dish with the Parmesan and knock out the excess.
In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter and flour foam and froth. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the hot milk, then simmer over medium heat and stir slowly until thick, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the seasonings, then the egg yolks, 1 by 1.
Whip the egg whites to stiff, shining peaks, then whisk 1/4 of them into the sauce to lighten it. Delicately fold the remaining egg whites into the sauce, alternating with the grated Swiss cheese.
Turn the souffle mixture into the prepared dish and set in the oven. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until the souffle has puffed 1 or 2-inches above the rim and has browned on top, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately!
Right away!
Enjoy it without haste!
Serve with a light salad, the best french baguette you can find, and that $2 steal of a sign from a garage sale.
This was my first soufflé that I have ever eaten or made and it was a success! I like this whole soufflé thing. I am thinking the next one shall be a dessert soufflé... chocolate, anyone? I already have a recipe in mind... :)
And as she would always say...
BON APPETIT!
<3 Larissa

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