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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Cooking -> Souffles
 Soufflés:
Fast Summer Fare
By Niki Hayden
For light summer fare, soufflés will spin their golden web around most
crops in season: asparagus, chard, spinach, zucchini or eggplant. A quick sauté
of ratatouille folded into whipped egg whites transforms ordinary leftovers into
a sophisticated main dish. And soufflés are far easier than you may believe.
Elegant, easy, economical, soufflés can be made in 15 minutes and baked in
30. Even so, there’s a prevailing anxiety about getting the masterpiece to the
table. High rising, golden brown and aromatic, the crisp dome defies gravity.
Within minutes the soufflé
begins to deflate. Instead of lamenting the loss of volume, consider a soufflé
to be the cherry blossom of the culinary world. Enjoy the brief season and savor
the moment.
A Perfect Union Of Yolks And Whites
A soufflé is custard made from yolks combined with whipped egg
whites. Together, they form a perfect union. A potato, mushroom, or classic
cheese soufflé make a substantial entrée in winter, but summer offers a wider
variety of vegetables, especially companionable pairs, like peas and mint, or
corn and poblano peppers.
Nearly any vegetable from the garden or farmers market is a candidate.
It all begins by separating whites from yolks. Once you have the whites in a
large mixing bowl, add a few pinches of cream of tartar. This sugary powder from grapes will add ballast to the whites and they’ll whip faster. Whip the
whites until they make stiff peaks and then set aside.
Now for the custard: soufflés are concocted from a basic roux. That’s
equal amounts of white flour and butter or oil. About two tablespoons of flour
and two tablespoon of butter or olive oil will be a binder for milk. Using a
heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and flour until it forms a paste. Pour
about a cup of milk—any kind—and stir constantly with a heavy spoon until a
creamy sauce forms. At first the small beads of oil will bob about in the milk.
Gradually, with the alchemy of heat, the beads will dissolve into a smooth
sauce. Remove the custard from the heat and sprinkle in the grated cheese.
Companion Your Cheese And Vegetable
Nearly any cheese will do, but cheese sets the mood for flavor. A spinach or
chard soufflé will take Parmesan or Gruyere. A leek, broccoli or scallion
soufflé cries out for Cheddar. Perhaps green chilies? Try a mild Jack. Consider
mixing a few, too. Perhaps Fontina and Parmesan would be perfect for asparagus.
There’s only one requirement: the vegetable you add must be cooked. It will
not cook if added raw to your soufflé.
If you have any leftover vegetables, this is the perfect transformation. Chop
them finely and add to the sauce. If not, sauté or steam the vegetable of your
choice. Zucchini and yellow squash will work best if they are grated and
sautéed rather than chopped or sliced. You want the vegetables to be in small
pieces. That’s one reason why spinach and chard work so well. They will
dissolve into the soufflé, leaving lovely flecks of green throughout the golden
puff.
Fresh herbs take a different approach. You can mince parsley. Add a
tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves, or dill--any fresh herb that you enjoy. They
will be best added fresh, rather than cooked, and should can be sprinkled in when the
custard is folded into the egg whites at the very last minute.
Assembling The Soufflé
After folding in the vegetables, stir in beaten yolks. These are added last
so that they won’t curdle from the heat. That’s also why the roux is
taken off the heat to stir in the cheese and vegetables. By the time you get to
the yolks, the sauce has cooled.
The oven has been preheated to 350 degrees. Some cooks like a higher oven, it
all depends on how crusty you want the soufflé to be, so once you are smitten
by soufflés, experiment.
Prepare a casserole dish with high, straight sides that is at least twice the
height of your mixture. Preparation requires a bit of oil or butter rubbed
inside. Now it’s time to revisit the whites.
If the whites appear to have deflated and lost some volume, return to the
mixer. Whip them into a peak stage once again. If you crave volume, you can add
additional egg whites and save the yolks for another recipe. The whites have
reached a consistency for volume when peaks form. This means that if you drip
egg white one drop on top of another, they will stay in place and not melt into
the mixture.
Now you can fold the custard mixture
into the whites, every so gently but thoroughly. Don’t mix vigorously because
it’s not necessary and will simply deflate the whites. Pour the combined
mixture into the casserole. Place the soufflé into the oven and set the timer
for about 30 minutes.
Experiment And Find The Soufflé That You Prefer
A soufflé should be checked without opening the oven door. But even if you
must look inside, by the time the soufflé has risen, it won’t make much difference.
Also, it’s not necessary for a soufflé to be a giant puff to be delicious. It
need only be cooked through.
Once you have mastered the basics, a soufflé is a blank canvas for seasonal
flavors or a variety of cheeses and herbs. It’s fast, cheap and beautiful--as
perfect for a fancy lunch as a light dinner.
Soufflés can be baked in individual ramekins. Pour the mixture into no more
than half the small bowl. Allow at least two eggs for each serving and adjust
the basic recipe. For a larger soufflé, increase baking time. If you go over
eight eggs, try two soufflés. Too large a recipe and the soufflé will turn
crispy on the outside, but stay raw in the inside.
Recipe: Basic Vegetable Soufflé
Choose a soufflé dish or casserole that is about four inches deep and wide.
Butter or oil the inside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you want a darker crust, start at 400 degrees and turn
down the heat to 350 degrees after
you put in the soufflé.
- 2 tablespoons of oil, like canola, or butter
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 1 cup of milk, any kind
- ½ cup of cheese, of 1 cup if you like it cheesier
- 1 cup of minced, cooked vegetables, or ½ cup of vegetables
- 4 to 6 egg yolks
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the meringue: 4 to 6 egg whites, add two more if you want more volume.
Although two egg whites may not sound like much, they will provide a thicker
meringue that will rise higher and hold its shape longer. However, your soufflé
will be just as delicious with an even number of yolks and whites.
Pinch of cream of tartar
Prepare according to the above directions. Set the timer for 30 to 35 minutes
and check the soufflé after 30 minutes. If it is pale, allow it to cook for
five more minutes or until the top is golden brown.
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