Cheddar Crab Souffle Food

CHEDDAR-CRAB SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Thaw crabmeat, save juices. Blend with cheese. Set aside.
• Saute green onions in butter until soft but not browned.
• Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add half-and-half. Cook, stirring, over moderate heat until mixture thickens. Add cayenne and juices.
• Stir in the egg yolks. Blend in crabmeat and cheese.
• Whip egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue whipping until whites form stiff peaks.
• Fold a portion of the whites into the sauce to lighten it. Foild entire amount of whites into the sauce carefully.
• Pour into a buttered 2-quart souffle dish. Bake at 375 degrees fro 45 minute.
• Good served with marinated broccoli salad, hot rolls or french bread.

DOUBLE-BAKED CHEDDAR SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put milk, onion, nutmeg and bay leaves into a pan. Bring to the boil, then set side to infuse for 30 mins. Butter 8 x 150ml ramekins.
• Melt the butter in a second saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook gently for 1 min, stirring. Take off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Discard onion and bay leaf. Return to the hob and stir until the sauce boils and thickens.
• Off the heat, stir in the mustard, egg yolks and three-quarters of the cheese, then season. Scrape mixture into a large mixing bowl. In another big bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Boil a full kettle. Carefully fold the whites into the cheese mix and fill ramekins twothirds full. Transfer to a roasting tin, then pour the boiling water into the tin until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 15-20 mins or until risen, just set and still a little wobbly. Take out of the tin and leave to cool.
• To serve, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7(or leave it at 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 if you are cooking the lamb). Loosen soufflés around the edges with a knife, then turn out, upside down, into a shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with rest of cheese, then spoon 1 tbsp cream over each soufflé. Bake for 10-12 mins till puffed and golden on the top (or 12-15 mins at the lower temperature). Serve at once with Crunchy celery & apple salad, below.

SHRIMP AND CRAB SOUFFLES WITH RED BELL PEPPER AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter one 10-cup soufflé dish or six 1 1/4-cup soufflé dishes; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to coat. (If using 1 1/4-cup dishes, place all 6 on rimmed baking sheet.) Combine crab, shrimp, roasted peppers and tarragon in processor; chop finely, using on/off turns.
• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, shallot and cayenne. Cook without browning until mixture begins to bubble, whisking constantly, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, then wine. Cook until smooth, thick and beginning to boil, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix yolks and salt in bowl. Add yolk mixture all at once to sauce; whisk in quickly. Stir in crab mixture. Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into lukewarm soufflé base to lighten. Fold in 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, then remaining whites. Transfer soufflé mixture to prepared dish.
• Place soufflé in oven. Bake soufflé until puffed, golden and gently set in center, about 40 minutes for large soufflé (or 25 minutes for small soufflés). Using oven mitts, transfer soufflé to platter and serve immediately.