Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, plus melted butter for the baking dishes
• 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for the baking dishes
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and place a baking sheet in it to warm. Brush the soufflé dishes evenly with the melted butter, and if you like, sprinkle with a little freshly grated Parmesan.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a lower heat. Stir in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, over a gentle heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Take off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Then return the pan to the heat and whisk until it comes to a boil. Cover and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Separate the eggs. Place the whites in a large bowl, making sure it is spotlessly clean and dry. Then whisk the yolks, one by one, into the white sauce. Add both cheeses and season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and a little freshly grated nutmeg. It should taste hugely, overly seasoned at this point because the egg whites will dull the seasoning later. Stir over a gentle heat for just a few seconds until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat.
4. Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with a little pinch of salt, slowly at first and then faster, until they are light and voluminous and hold a stiff peak when you lift up the beaters. Gently stir a few tablespoons of whipped whites into the cheese mixture to lighten it, and then carefully fold in the rest of the whites with a spatula.
5. Using a light touch, scrape or spoon the mixture into the prepared soufflé dishes. If using individual dishes, bear in mind if you fill them three-quarters full, you will get about 10 soufflé, but if you fill the dishes to the top, you will have about 8 soufflé. (The individual soufflés can be covered in plastic wrap and frozen at this point.)
6. Bake in the oven for 8 to 9 minutes for individual soufflé, 20 to 25 minutes for the large one. For the large soufflé, you will need to reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) after 15 minutes.
7. Serve immediately.

The post Parmesan and Gruyere Souffle appeared first on Houston's Blog.