French Food Friday...Raymond Blanc's Comté Cheese Soufflé

recipe and photo from here

For the longest time, I have been a fan of Raymond Blanc, I love his cooking program and I have many of his cooking books, which I use over and over again.

Hence this weeks recipe, comes from the great man himself and I hope that you enjoy it.....

Raymond Blanc's Comté Cheese Soufflé

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

You will need:
For lining the soufflé dish
20g unsalted butter,softened
20g dried, fine breadcrumbs

For the soufflé base:
50g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
450ml whole milk, warmed
160g Comté cheese, grated
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 medium egg yolks
2 pinches of sea salt, or to taste
2 pinches of white pepper, or to taste

For the soufflé mix:
7 medium egg whites
14 drops of lemon juice

To finish the soufflé:
20g Comté cheese, finely grated

For the sauce:
150ml double cream
70g Comté cheese, grated
4 turns of freshly ground white pepper
1 tbsp kirsch (optional)

Method:
1.Using a pastry brush, grease the dish with a thin, even layer of softened butter, then coat with the breadcrumbs, shaking out the excess; put the dish to one side.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and place a baking tray on the middle shelf to heat up. To prepare the soufflé base in a small saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, whisk until smooth and cook to a nutty blond roux.
3. Lower the heat, then gradually add the warm milk, little by little, whisking to keep the consistency smooth. Add the cheese and mustard and continue to cook, stirring from time to time, for three to five minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Add the egg yolks and stir until the mixture is silky and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice to medium peaks. Transfer the warm soufflé base to a large bowl and briefly whisk in one third of the whipped egg whites to lighten the base. Then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites with a spatula or large metal spoon, delicately cutting and lifting the mixture to ensure minimum loss of volume and lightness. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Pour the soufflé mixture into the prepared dish, to three-quarters full.
5. Slide the dish onto the hot baking tray and bake in the oven for twenty minutes. Meanwhile, make your cheese sauce. While the soufflé is cooking, bring the cream to the boil and add the cheese and pepper, stirring continuously. Once the cheese has melted, remove from the heat and taste for seasoning. A dash of kirsch would not go amiss. Pour the sauce into a warm sauceboat.

6. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the surface of the soufflé and
bake for a further five minutes. Serve immediately, placing the soufflé and sauce in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves.

 

.....bon appetit à tous, Leeann x