Truffled Cheese Soufflé
A Truffle a Day — Day 27
A treat under any circumstances, this is a extra special one to serve friends for a luncheon or to enjoy on cold days, along with family around the fire.
Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
4-6 egg whites
2½ tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
Grating of fresh nutmeg
Salt and white pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup coarsely grated Swiss-style cheese (Gruyère or Emmenthal)
1 ounce truffle
Preparation:
Melt a little extra butter and brush the inside of your baking dish, which should have high straight sides. Sprinkle the interior with grated Parmesan and shake until the cheese is well-distributed. Separate eggs, whisk 4 yolks together until smooth, and set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add flour and stir over moderate heat for 2 minutes, until bubbly but not colored. Meanwhile, heat the milk, being careful not to boil. Add ¾ of the milk to the saucepan and stir until the gravy coats the spoon. Thin if necessary with the rest of the milk, whisk in salt, pepper, nutmeg and grated truffle, and remove from heat. Gradually whisk in the egg yolks.
Beat the 6 whites to a stiff peak, stir a quarter of them into the sauce, then delicately fold in the rest, alternating turns of a rubber spatula with additions of the grated Gruyère. Pour into the mold, running your fingers around the rim to make sure nothing is stuck (otherwise the soufflé will fall to the outside), and bake immediately in an oven that has been preheated to 400°F, lowered to 375°F the moment the soufflé is introduced.
After 25–30 minutes, when the soufflé has risen 2–3 inches above the rim of the baking dish and the top is nicely browned, remove from oven and serve immediately with white wine, coarse bread and a green salad.
A Truffle a Day is a series of one-a-day truffle recipes, excerpted from the soon-to-be-released Cooking with Truffles: A Chef’s Guide. All recipes can be prepared with or without truffles, depending on the voluptuousness of your pantry.
