Goat Cheese Soufflé With Thyme Food

GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter four 1-cup souffle dishes. Dust with flour, and tap out excess.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle flour over top, and cook, whisking, for 1 1/2 minutes. Add milk, cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in yolks.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold cheese mixture into whites. Divide among souffle dishes, filling to 1 inch from top. Place on a baking sheet, and bake until puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

GOAT'S CHEESE SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Cook for five minutes, stirring. Do not allow to brown. Meanwhile scald the milk and add to the flour-butter mixture.
• Add the bay leaf, herb bouquet, salt and pepper. Put the mixture in the top of a double boiler and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the crumbled cheese and egg yolks. Mix until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a souffle dish. Whip the egg whites until they stand up in a peak. Fold the cheese mixture into the egg whites and pour into the souffle dish. Sprinkle with thyme.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the souffle has puffed up with a golden brown top.

TWICE-BAKED GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°. Butter eight 5-ounce ramekins, making sure to coat them well. Coat each ramekin with breadcrumbs then turn them over and tap out the excess. Reserve any remaining breadcrumbs.
• Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 20 seconds, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of a thin, pourable pudding.
• Crumble 8 ounces of the cheese into a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot milk mixture over the goat cheese and mix well. Add the egg yolks and mix again. Season with salt and pepper.
• Using an electric mixer with clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the whites into the cheese mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold in the remaining whites.
• Divide half of the souffle mixture among the prepared ramekins. Crumble the remaining 2 ounces of goat cheese and divide among the ramekins, then top with the remaining half of the souffle mixture, dividing it equally among the ramekins. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over the top.
• Place the ramekins in a large baking pan and pour in boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the souffles are golden. Remove from the oven and let stand, still in their water bath, for 15 minutes.
• Using a towel to hold the ramekins, run a knife around the inside rim to loosen. Turn out the souffles onto a baking sheet. The souffles may be held at room temperature for up to 6 hours before the final baking.
• When ready to serve, bake the souffles in a 425° oven for 5-7 minutes, or until deep golden brown.

GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub inside of six 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or ramekins with 2 tablespoons butter. Coat with breadcrumbs; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium. Simmer mixture until very thick, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Add half of goat cheese and whisk until melted and smooth. Mix in salt and pepper. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot soufflé base. Cool 5 minutes.
• Beat whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Mix 1/4 of whites into soufflé base to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Fold in remaining goat cheese. Divide mixture among prepared soufflé dishes. Place in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of dishes.
• Bake soufflés until puffed and golden brown on top and softly set in center, about 20 minutes. Serve soufflés immediately in their dishes. Or for twice-baked version, cool soufflés in dishes in water for 5 minutes. Remove soufflés from water. Run small sharp knife around sides of dishes to loosen soufflés. Turn out onto buttered baking sheet. Refrigerate up to 4 hours. Before serving, rewarm soufflés on same sheet in 350°F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.

TWICE-BAKED GOAT'S CHEESE SOUFFLéS WITH APPLE & WALNUT SALAD

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan and use about 1 tbsp to grease 6 x 200ml soufflé dishes. Place the remaining butter back on the heat, then scatter over the flour and mix well. Cook for 5 mins, stirring constantly, then gradually whisk in the warm milk, a little at a time, until you have a thick, smooth mixture. Stir in the Parmesan, mustard and thyme, then set aside to cool slightly. Beat in the egg yolks, fold through the goat's cheese, season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a large bowl.
• In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they just start to stiffen and hold peaks. Use a metal spoon to fold them into the cheesy mixture, in 3 additions.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spoon the mix into the soufflé dishes, then sit them in a roasting tin. Pour boiling water into the tin to reach halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake the soufflés for 20-25 mins until they are risen and coloured. Remove the dishes and set aside for 10 mins. Run a knife around the edges, then turn out onto an ovenproof tray. The soufflés can now be kept covered in the fridge overnight or frozen for up to a month. Defrost fully before reheating as below. To make the Parmesan glaze, whisk the cream, Parmesan and egg yolk until combined.
• About 15 mins before you are ready to eat, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Drizzle the tops of the soufflés with the glaze. Bake for 10 mins, then finally flash under the grill until the tops are golden.
• Make the salad. Toss the salad leaves, apple, chives and walnuts. Mix the red wine vinegar and olive oil together, season, then dress the salad. To serve, place the soufflés in the centre of the plates and scatter salad around each.