Thyme Enough

Thyme Enough Maman’s Cheese Soufflé From Jacques Pépin

Nelson and Sandy Barnett met in college. They have been happily married for 58 years and are still having fun cooking and living! Find Sandy’s newly published thriller Dead in the Shadow of Doubt on Amazon. com.

Okay, admittedly we are mostly just plain, everyday, down-to-earth, home cooking cooks. Yet every now and then we want to cook something that’s a bit fancy, and risky. Perilous enough that you’d hesitate to depend on it to serve to guests. Yet, you feel a challenge to test your cooking skills. So, here we are. What’s your favorite button-popping recipe, the one that makes you smile inwardly, your culinary snob recipe? One at the top of our list is Nelson’s (ala Julia’s) French Cheese Souffle. We get around to tackling a souffle every ten years or so. Why so seldom? Because real souffles are anxiety producing. We first fret about which souffle dish to cook it in. We only have one, but our one borderlines on being too small. This problem of the dish requires several conversations and mutual accusations on why we never got around to buying a larger one. And the second fret could be my quibbling about the number of eggs required. The dish and egg and any other conflabs are really just forms of subterfuge to conceal our real fear which is fear of failure. A real souffle with real fear makes for a tenuous recipe.

So, here we go. During this year of our discontent let me tell you of one thing Nelson and I have done to lessen our anxieties. We’ve gone retro. Back to the 70s or 80s via Netflix to the Julia and Jacques cooking series. Julia Childs and Jacques Pepin. Great chefs who each have made a fine reputation on the air and in their published cook books. These recipes are not always complicated or difficult, but they do have certain techniques they prescribe. Today’s recipe is from Jacques Pepin for Maman’s Cheese Souffle. It appealed to us immediately because, as said, a true French soufflé can be both tricky and sometimes difficult. You know if you’ve tried one that even if it is perfect the minute you cut into it, ‘Poof’ immediate collapse. The recipe for Jacques mother’s soufflé is not difficult and was created by her because she wanted a soufflé that did not have to be served immediately, but could be held over, even until the next day if needed, and warmed up, and delicious. It’s sorta like a cheesy spoonbread. In fact, I think I like it better than the airiness of a real souffle! Fattening? Oh, surely not ….

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional to butter a 5- to 6-cup gratin dish 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups whole milk 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5 extra-large eggs (or 6 large ones) 2 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese, preferably Gruyère (about 6 ounces), plus three more optional slices for garnish (roughly 2-inch by 3-inch) 3 tablespoons minced chives

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 5- to 6-cup cast iron gratin dish (we used a 10’ iron skillet), sprinkle the bottom and sides with half the Parmesan, and set it aside. Melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and mix it in well with a whisk. Cook for 10 seconds, add the cold milk in one stroke and mix it in with a whisk. Keep stirring with the whisk until the mixture thickens and comes to a strong boil, about 2 minutes. It should be thick and smooth. Remove from the heat, and stir in the salt and pepper.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat well with a fork. After about 10 minutes, the béchamel (white sauce) should be cool enough to proceed. Moving quickly, add the eggs, cheese and the chives to the sauce, and mix well to combine. Pour into the buttered gratin dish (skillet) and cook immediately, or set aside until ready to cook. If setting aside for a few hours, the soufflé can remain outside at room temperature. If assembling a day ahead, refrigerate and bring back to room temperature before baking.

Sprinkle the surface with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan and arrange the 3 slices of Gruyère in a circle in the center, if using. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until puffy and well browned on top. Although it will stay inflated for quite awhile, it is best served immediately. N