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Posted by

Victoria Lagodinsky

May 5, 2014
twice-baked-cheese-souffle
 

If you’ve got time to get creative in the kitchen this Bank Holiday, try Emma McDondald’s foolproof cheese souffle recipe. The secret is to bake them twice…’These soufflés can be made the day before serving them and the best thing about baking them twice is you don’t need to worry whether they will rise; magically, they rise again when baked for the second time. Be warned – they are rich and indulgent, but quite delectable!’
 

Twice-Baked Cheese Soufflés with Pear & Red Leaf Salad

Serves: 4

Preparation Time:30 minutes, plus infusing and cooling

Cooking time:45 minutes
 
200ml/7fl oz/scant 1 cup whole milk
1 bay leaf
1 large garlic clove, peeled and halved
50g/1¾oz butter
40g/1½oz/¹∕³ cup plain flour
2 tsp Dijon mustard
100g/3½oz mature Cheddar cheese, grated
50g/1¾oz aged Gruyère cheese, grated
3 eggs, separated
4 tbsp double cream

Pear and Read Leaf Salad:
8 red leaf lettuce leaves, torn
50g/1¾oz red cabbage, shredded
2 crisp but ripe pears, cored and sliced lengthways, tossed in a little lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp snipped chives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
1. Warm the milk in a small pan with the bay leaf and garlic. Turn off the heat and leave the milk to infuse for 30 minutes. Reheat just before using. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 and heat a large baking tray. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan and use a little to grease four 175ml/5½fl oz/²∕³ cup ramekins.

2. Whisk the remaining melted butter with the flour over a medium heat and cook the roux for 1 minute, stirring. Remove the bay leaf and garlic from the warm milk and gradually stir it into the roux. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring continuously until thick and smooth.

3. Pour the white sauce into a bowl and stir in the mustard, Cheddar and 2 tablespoons of the Gruyère. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Using a metal spoon, fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture in three batches; spoon this into the ramekins.

4. Put the ramekins on the heated baking tray and bake for 18–20 minutes until risen. Leave to cool, run a knife around the edge of the soufflés and carefully turn them out. Chill until ready to serve.

5. Heat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Put the soufflés on a baking tray, then spoon 1 tablespoon of the cream and the remaining Gruyère over each one. Bake for 10–12 minutes until risen and the cheese has melted.

6. Meanwhile, to make the salad, put the lettuce, red cabbage and pears in a serving bowl. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and spoon the dressing over the salad. Toss until combined and scatter the chives over the top. Serve the soufflés with the salad.

Having grown up on the family’s delicious, homemade Cucumber Relish, Emma Macdonald had the simple idea that full-flavored, quality chutneys and preserves needed to be brought to the specialty sector. In The Bay Tree Home Deli Recipes she reveals all her deli-ingredient making secrets and shows you how to create delicious meals from them.

 

Home-Deli-Recipes-jacket
The Bay Tree Home Deli Recipes by Emma Macdonald

Buy the book now with free UK postage!