Twice Baked Stilton SoufflÉ Food

DOUBLE BAKED STILTON AND CORN SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour 1 large souffle dish or 4 to 6 individual ones with an 8 to 12 ounce capacity.
• Heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour, whisking until smooth and creamy. Cook about 3 minutes, until the mixture turns straw colored. Whisking, pour in the hot milk, and whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses, 4 egg yolks, corn, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside to cool 5 minutes. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, and then fold into the souffle mixture in thirds with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the mixture into the souffle dish or dishes, and then place them in a roasting pan. Pour hot water into the pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake 25 to 35 minutes for individual souffles, 35 to 45 minutes for large ones, until risen and slightly firmed. Serve immediately or let the souffles cool in the dish, then turn out, cover, and refrigerate. (The dish can be made up to this point up to 24 hours in advance.)
• If made ahead of time: to serve, arrange the turned out souffles in a baking dish, poke a hole in the top and pour a little heavy cream inside, then drizzle a little heavy cream over the top of each souffle, and bake at 400 degrees until hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
• Notes about the recipe: When I agreed to go to England to revitalize the flagging cuisine at Stapleford Park, a hotel owned by our friend Bob Payton, I had no idea what to expect. But having heard all the jokes about English cooking, I did wonder if they would like my food. As soon as I arrived in Melton Mowbray, a town dedicated to making strong, creamy Stilton cheese, we knew everything would be fine. The entire town of Melton Mowbray smells of Stilton, especially the fine cheeses of the firm of Tuxford & Tebbutt that may be what inspired me to cook with it so often, creating new lunch and supper dishes like this one. The richness of the local agricultural traditions quickly impressed me: the milk, butter, eggs, lamb, and vegetables were just as perfect and flavorful as the Stilton cheese. According to legend, Stilton was invented by a Mrs. Paulet in the 1700s. The cheese must be cylindrical, must ripen without ever being pressed, and must form its own coat or crust. Red Leicester, a vibrant orange, crumbly aged cheddar-style cheese, furthered our education in the best products of English kitchens. More words and warnings have been devoted to the making of souffles than any other cooking subject, but this one doesn't rise perilously high. An airy egg batter, fresh milk, and butter, savory cheese and, in this case, sweet corn kernels and a dash of mustard produce irresistible results. If you want to make your souffles even more luxurious, follow the reheating instructions by pouring a dollop of heavy cream inside each one for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

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.

TWICE BAKED STILTON SOUFFLÉ

Steps:

• Bring the milk to a boil with the bay leaf, nutmeg and onion. Strain and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. In a medium saucepan off the stove, make a white sauce by mixing together the oil, flour and cooled milk. Then cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until thickened and smooth (will have lumps at first, but keep stirring). Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, carefully to the mixture. Beat well all the time so that the eggs do not curdle. Add the Stilton to the mixture, stir, and then add the parmesan. Season to taste (almost overseason) with salt, pepper and cayenne. Stiffly beat the egg whites. Fold in one quarter of the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture to 'slacken' it and then fold in the rest - being careful not to overmix. Pour almost 1 cup of mixture into 4 (2-cup) ramekins that have been well-buttered (parchment paper on the bottom). Place the ramekins in a large baking tray and pour about 3/4'' boiling water around them, then place the tray on the middle shelf in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When almost cold, run a knife around the edge of each ramekin and drop the soufflés into our hand. Place each on a small baking dish. If not to be eaten soon, cover and refrigerate or freeze. When ready to eat, pour the cream around the base of the still cold or frozen soufflés and place in a pre-heated oven (350F/180C) for about 25 minutes until browned and well risen. Serve immediately.

TWICE BAKED CHEESE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Bring milk,bay leaf and onion to the boil. Turn off heat and allow to infuse.
• Preheat oven to 200c 180 fan Gas mark 6.
• Melt butter, add flour and cook for 1 minute to make a roux.
• Add strained milk gradually stirring well. Return to the heat adding 125 gm cheese and mustard and bring to the boil stirring all the time.
• Season well.
• Beat in egg yolks.
• Whisk whites till stiff and fold into cheese sauce.
• Spoon into 6 ramekins.
• Stand in a baking tin half filled with boiling water and cook in the oven till risen and set - 20 minutes.
• Leave to get cold.
• Turn each souffle out onto an oven proof dish, pour over some of the cream, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 15 mins at 220C ( 200 fan oven).
• Serve immediately.

TWICE-BAKED CHEESE SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• Lightly grease six 150ml ramekins with oil and coat with the polenta, shaking out any excess. Sit the ramekins in a small roasting tin. Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 min. Remove from the heat and pour in the milk, a little at a time, stirring well until mixture is smooth.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Return pan to the heat and cook, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from the heat. Reserve 1 heaped tbsp of the Parmesan and stir the rest into the mixture, with the mustard, then the soft cheese in small spoonfuls. Add the chives, season with pepper and leave to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, make the salsa. Mix together the tomatoes, onion, tomato purée and chillies. Season with a grinding of pepper, and chill.
• Beat the egg yolks into the cheese mixture. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Using a large metal spoon, fold a spoonful into the mixture to slacken slightly. Gently and evenly fold in the remaining whites, half at a time, keeping mixture light and airy. Evenly spoon into the ramekin dishes to fill. Pour cold water into the roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake for 15-18 mins until golden on top and risen. Carefully remove from the tin and leave to cool. The soufflés will sink as they cool - they can be left for 20 mins before re-baking, or cover the dishes once cold and keep overnight in the fridge.
• When ready to serve, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. If the soufflés have been in the fridge, sit them at room temperature for about 10 mins before baking. Turn each out of its dish and place, right-side up, on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Sprinkle the reserved Parmesan over each soufflé, then bake for 10 mins or until risen. Scatter with chives. Serve each with a pile of rocket and salsa.

TWICE-BAKED GARLIC SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• Melt 1 tbsp of the butter and add the garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper to taste, 3/4 cup water and the vinegar. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, then uncover and boil till the water has evaporated. Add the milk, bring to the boil, then process in a blender. Measure 1 cup garlic-milk mixture.
• Heat the remaining butter and stir in the flour and thyme. Cook for a minute, then make a white sauce by gradually stirring in the garlic milk till thick. Transfer to a big bowl, add the grated cheese, three-quarters of the Parmesan, then the egg yolks. Set aside.
• Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F convection). Butter the individual soufflé dishes and dust the sides with the remaining Parmesan; if you have any left over, stir into the sauce. Set in a roasting pan and put a kettle on to boil.
• Beat egg whites till firm but not dry. Fold half into the soufflé base, then add the rest. Spoon into the dishes (fill them almost to the top), pour boiling water into the pan to one-third of the depth of the dishes and bake for 20-25 minutes, till puffed and cooked through. Remove from oven and leave to cool-they will sink.
• When cool, run a knife round the edge to loosen each soufflé, gently upend on to your hand, then put the right way up on one big dish or 6 gratin dishes. (You can make the soufflés a day ahead, or even freeze them. Make sure they are at room temperature before the second baking.)
• To serve, set your oven to 400°F (375°F convection). Mix the cream with salt and pepper, grated nutmeg and Parmesan or other cheese. Pour over the soufflés to cover completely, then if you wish sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 10-15 minutes, till golden and the sauce bubbling. They will gently re-puff.