Souffle Part Deux, A Learning Lunch

In theory, practice makes perfect. After speeding through the chocolate souffle practical in class, I knew I had some homework to do so for lunch today I tried my hand at a Gruyere souffle. I prepped all of my ingredients, took my time, and crossed my fingers in hopes of success. As you can see, I had a little issue with deflation (ironic, yes?) but the texture was light and fluffy and the flavor of the cheese really came through. I paired it with a Strawberry Walnut Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette for light and educational lunch.

Speaking of education, I'm thrilled to be participating in the DineandDish Adopt A Blogger program. My adopter is Lori, creator of Recipe Girl- a fantastic blogger whose site is a great resource for recipes, entertaining menus and general cooking knowledge. Recipe Girl offers over 2,000 dishes ranging from seasonal to holiday favorites, low fat mains to decadent desserts. Whether you're a newbie like me, or a veteran blogger, you should definitely check out Lori's Blog for some great ideas for your next meal.

Cheese Souffle
adapted from New School of Cooking Curriculum
1/2 ounce flour
1/2 ounce butter
1/2 cup milk
2 ounces gruyere, grated
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
pinch of cayenne
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare 3 ramekins with butter and a light dusting of flour.
In a small saucepan combine flour and butter, stirring with a wooden spoon over medium heat to make a roux. Whisk in milk until and simmer one minute until thickened into a bechamel sauce. Beat in egg yolk. Gently stir in cheese. Remove from heat and add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the souffle base. When almost, but not fully incorporated, add the remaining egg whites and gently fold in to combine. Pour into ramekins and bake for 25-30 minutes.