Lobster Soufflé

Again, from Julia Child. Click on the title of this entry for a link to the video!

JULIA CHILD’S CLASSIC CHEESE SOUFFLE
With Variations
MASTER RECIPE
This is the classic version of a cheese soufflé, adapted from Julia Child’s recipe in her book, The Way to Cook (Knopf).

SERVES 6

2 tablespoons, finely grated Parmesan cheese (or other hard cheese)
2 1/2 tablespoons, butter
3 tablespoons, flour
1 cup, hot milk
1/2 teaspoon, paprika
1/8 teaspoon, fresh-ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon, salt
1/4 teaspoon, fresh ground pepper (white, if you don’t like to see dark “specs”)
4 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces), coarsely grated Swiss cheese


Prepare the dish: Butter the interior of a straight-sided, 1 quart baking dish (7-8 inches in diameter). Roll the grated Parmesan cheese around the dish to coat the bottom and sides.

Make a “collar” (so the soufflé can rise high above the dish). [COOK’S NOTE: If you prefer not to use a collar, simply use a slightly larger dish, so the soufflé will not rise as high and cannot spill over in baking.]. To make a collar, fold a piece of aluminum foil in half, and wrap the sheet around the circumference of the baking dish. The strip should encircle the dish, and stand about three inches taller than the top of the dish. Butter the inside of the foil strip, and secure the strip closed around the dish using a pin or paper clip.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Set the oven rack just below the center of the oven.

Make the soufflé base: In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook for two minutes over moderate heat – do not allow the mixture to brown. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Stir and cook slowly (mixture will boil gently) for 3 minutes – it will be very thick. Whisk in the seasonings and remove from heat. One by one, whisk in the egg yolks.

Beat the egg whites: In a clean mixing bowl, using a balloon whisk or an electric beater, beat the (room temperature) egg whites until stiff and shiny. The whites will form peaks when the beater is lifted. Do not overbeat – when the peaks form as described, stop beating.

Finish the soufflé mixture: Scoop about one quarter of the beaten egg whites onto the top of the base mixture, and gently stir the whites into the base. Turn the remaining beaten egg whites onto the sauce and carefully fold them into the base mixture [COOK’S NOTE: see the description of “folding” in the Glossary of Terms located at the top of the Teaching Segments page on this site – menu at left – if you need more explanation of this technique.] alternating scoops of the spatula with sprinkles of the grated Swiss cheese. [Adding the cheese this way, instead of into the white sauce base, makes a lighter result.] Spoon the soufflé mixture gently into the prepared dish.

Bake the soufflé: Set the soufflé in the preheated oven, and immediately turn the heat down to 375 degrees. Bake until the soufflé has puffed 2 to 3 inches over the rim of the baking dish, into the collar, and the top has browned nicely - about 25-30 minutes..

COOK’S NOTE ABOUT HOW TO DETERMINE DONENESS:
A soufflé baked in a dish should puff 2 to 3 inches over the rim, and the top should be nicely browned. The puff should hold up when you release the collar just a little bit to check – if the puff sags, rapidly refasten the collar and bake a few minutes more. If you want the puff to hold and the soufflé to stand a reasonable time, test it by plunging a skewer down into the side of the puff: if wet particles cling to it the soufflé will be creamy inside and will not hold as long as if the skewer comes out almost clean. The fateful decision is up to you.

Serve the soufflé: Remove the finished soufflé from the oven, very carefully unfasten and remove the collar, and bring the soufflé to the table. Hold the serving fork and spoon upright and back-to-back, so the soufflé may be “torn” apart as they are plunged into the center, and will not deflate much as it is served.


Variations:


Spinach or Broccoli Soufflé
After completing the white sauce, stir in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of cooked chopped fresh spinach or broccoli that you have warmed in butter, with shallots and seasonings. Cut down on the grated Swiss cheese – 1/3 to 1/2 cup should be enough.

Crab, Lobster, or Shrimp Soufflé
Substitute chopped or finely diced shellfish for the vegetables in the preceding suggestion. A hollandaise sauce or a white butter sauce (beurre blanc) with tomato fondue would be attractive accompaniments.

Salmon Soufflé
Stir flaked cooked salmon or other fish, or canned salmon, into the finished white sauce. Two or three tablespoons of shallots sautéed in butter are often helpful for fish other than salmon, as well as a spoonful or two of minced fresh dill or parsley. In some instances you may wish to accompany the soufflé with a lightly cooked fresh tomato sauce, or a colorful pipérade (sautéed onions with strips of red and green peppers).

Spectacular (Easy) Presentation: Soufflé on a Platter
A soufflé does not have to be baked in a dish. Try baking it on a platter instead. Arrange mounds of creamed lobster, or crab, or poached eggs on butter-sautéed croutons, on a buttered baking and serving platter. Divide the cheese soufflé mixture in mounds over each, top with a sprinkling of grated Swiss cheese, and bake 15 minutes or so in a 425 degree oven. The mounded soufflés will puff to double and brown on top.