Twice baked blue cheese soufflé with pear and walnut salad
Overview
Prep time
35 mins
Cook time
35 mins
Serves
5
Ingredients
For the soufflés
40g butter, plus extra for buttering the ramekins
40g Parmesan, finely grated
40g plain flour
250ml whole milk
75g blue cheese, cut into chunks or grated (it depends on its texture)
25g Gruyère, grated, plus another 35g for the second bake
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 large eggs, separated
¼ tsp grated nutmeg (or more to taste)
200ml double cream
For the dressing
½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 ½ tsp cider vinegar
4 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp olive oil (not extra-virgin)
½ tsp crème de cassis (or more or less to taste)
For the salad
2 fat perfectly ripe pears
juice of 1 lemon, to stop the pears going brown
20g butter
150g salad leaves
35g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
Method
Step
Heat the oven to 200C/190C fan/gas mark 6.
Step
Butter 4 x 150ml ramekins well. Sprinkle 40g finely grated Parmesan equally into each one – it will stick to the butter – then shake out the excess (keep this).
Step
Melt 40g butter in a saucepan and stir in 40g plain flour. Cook for 2 minutes, until the butter and flour come together and the mixture looks sandy. Remove the pan from the heat.
Step
Start adding 250ml whole milk a little at a time, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. Keep this smooth, beating hard if necessary. Put back on the heat and bring to the boil – the mixture will thicken considerably.
Step
Stir in 75g blue cheese, cut into chunks or grated (it depends on its texture), 25g grated Gruyère and the rest of the Parmesan. Season and add 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Leave to cool a bit then add 3 large egg yolks and ¼ tsp grated nutmeg, ensuring everything is well mixed.
Step
Season well – it might seem strong but you're going to add egg whites which will soften the flavours. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl.
Step
Beat 3 egg whites in a really clean bowl until they form medium peaks. Fold this into the cheese and yolk mixture using a large metal spoon.
Step
Divide the soufflé mixture between the ramekins, filling them right up to the top. Wipe to remove any little spillages at the edges of the ramekins – these can stop the soufflés rising.
Step
Put the ramekins into a roasting tin and pour in ¾cm of boiling water. Bake for 15 minutes.
Step
Remove the ramekins from the tin. Leave to cool – the soufflés will sink a bit but don't worry, they will puff up on the second bake. Run a knife between the soufflés and the insides of the ramekins. Shake out the soufflés. Put these into one gratin dish, top down or, if you have them, individual ones. Cover loosely with cling film and put in the fridge.
Step
Make the dressing for the salad by whisking together ½ tsp Dijon mustard, 2 ½ tsp cider vinegar, 4 tbsp walnut oil, 1 tbsp olive oil (not extra-virgin), and ½ tsp crème de cassis. Season to taste.
Step
Before you recook the soufflés, halve and core 2 fat perfectly ripe pears, cut them into slices and drop them immediately into the juice of 1 lemon (this stops them going brown).
Step
Heat the oven to 220C/210C fan/gas mark 7. Pour 200ml double cream over the soufflés and scatter with 35g Gruyère. Bake for 10 minutes, until puffed up, bubbling and golden.
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