Yesterday you read about the best thing that I ate all of last year.
I must confess to being sad on the flight home form Vegas. It had nothing to do with the results of our gambling as our wallets were a tad fatter than when we arrived (of course, all of our shopping was on Visa LOL) Instead I was sad because I had eaten the best.damn.thing.ever. and it was a 4 hour flight from home. That was a long stretch for a soufflé . . . even for me.
So I did what any self-respecting foodie would do - when I got home I turned to the card catalogue for the cooking library known as the internet - google - and searched for the recipe.
Sure enough, in an April 2008 ABC report on View by the Bay I scored! I printed it off and immediately added this course to our New Year's Day feast.
I had never made a soufflé before - worried perhaps that it would be too challenging for me. I need not have worried for the recipe is well written and the steps easy to execute. Now, in fairness, it isn't a short romp through the kitchen - you have to be methodical, working your way through each step. Patient.
If you want nothing but a quick romp through the kitchen buy a microwave and a frozen meal in a tray.
I'm not normally patient at all but when there is a food payoff at the other end I can manage.
I knew from my Vegas taste that this was payoff indeed!
I also whipped up a pear and ginger compote with Moscato Di Asti wine - providing for the perfect blue cheese and pear combination that I adore.
Twice Baked Maytag Blue Cheese Soufflé
By Chef Bradley Ogden
Makes six 4-ounce soufflés
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup cold milk
5 ounces Maytag Blue Cheese, crumbled - room temperature
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Extra flour, for molds
1 tablespoon butter, for molds
Parchment paper
3/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. If using a convection oven, preheat to 250 degrees. Butter and dust six 4-ounce soufflé molds.
In a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and place over a moderate heat to melt the butter. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often. Incorporate the cold milk, whisking very slowly to make a thick cream sauce. Once the milk is added, continue to for 10 minutes over a slow heat. Pour the cream sauce into an electric mixing bowl. Add the crumbled Maytag Blue Cheese, using the whisk attachment. Turn the machine on low to blend in the sauce and cheese.
Let the mixture cool slightly, turn to a high speed and add one egg yolk at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the mixture to another bowl and let cool completely. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the cheese. Fill molds to the top with the mixture. Bake in a water bath at 300 degrees for 40 minutes; until lightly brown on top. Remove from the oven; let cool almost completely. Unmold onto buttered parchment paper, with browned top side up. Refrigerate until needed.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour ¾ cup of heavy cream into a non corrosive 10-inch sauté pan. Add the soufflés, top side up, and place over a high heat. Bring liquid to one boil then place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes or until the soufflés have absorbed most of the cream. Remove from the oven. With a metal spatula gently remove the soufflés from the sauté pan. Serve with the Mache salad. Garnish with toasted walnuts and crumbled Maytag Blue Cheese
I was SO hoping you would post a recipe after reading your previous post. Mahalo!
Posted by: menehune | January 07, 2011 at 03:15 PM
Oh, Jerry, I am just drooling!
Do you think Weight Watchers would allow me to eat this? Probably enough WW points for the whole week!
Posted by: nancyhol | January 07, 2011 at 03:32 PM
Save up those points Nancy! LOL
I hope that you give it a shot menehune. You'll be impressed.
Posted by: JDeQ | January 09, 2011 at 07:36 AM