Twice-baked souffle

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
225 millilitres Milk
1 small Onion, finely chopped
1 pinch Ground nutmeg
40 grams Butter
1 pinch Dry English mustard powder
40 grams Plain flour
150 grams Mature farmhouse cheddar cheese, grated
3 mediums Eggs, separated
1 Egg white
2 tablespoons Chopped fresh mixed herbs (eg, basil, mint, chives)
225 grams Cherry tomatoes, halved
large Bunch fresh basil leaves
250 millilitres Single cream
Seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Lightly grease six 175ml/6 fl oz ramekins or tea cups. Heat the milk in a pan with the onion and nutmeg until just boiling. Strain into a jug and discard the onion.

2. Melt the butter in a pan, add the mustard powder and flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute until thick and glossy. Add two-thirds of the cheese and stir until melted.

Season to taste. Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then beat in the egg yolks.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then using a large metal spoon, carefully fold into the souffl‚ base with the chopped herbs. Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins or tea cups and place in a large roasting tin so that it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. The dishes should be no more than two-thirds full with the mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the mixture is risen, golden and set.

4. Allow the souffl‚s to cool (they will sink slightly). Loosen from the ramekins and turn out on to a tray. At this stage they can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before re-baking.

5. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Butter 6 individual ovenproof serving dishes and place the souffl‚s upside down in the dishes. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves (in photo both arranged round outside of souffl‚ - leaning up against it) then pour over the cream and bake for 14-15 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.

NOTES : Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 45 minutes Serves 6 Per serving: 327 cals, 26g fat Author Vanessa Scott: This foolproof recipe is one of my favourites because of the preparation you can do in advance. You can cook it once and put in the fridge overnight. Then all you need do the next day is pour over the cream, herbs and tomatoes and bake for the second time - with perfect results. I often make it in batches and store it in the fridge for one or two days before baking it for the second time. Depending on the seasons, I also add various ingredients to the cream, such as fresh tomatoes or basil or I might use wild mushrooms gathered fresh from the woods nearby.

Recipe by: BBC Vegetarian Good Food, July 1997 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #645 by Kerry Erwin <kerry@...> on Jun 16, 1997

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