A cold wind rips through the market square. Cloth roofs of the stalls billow, ready to set sail. Customers huddle closer. Bare branches sway and sweep the mother of pearl sky.
The Friday morning farmer’s market on Bürkliplatz in Zurich is my main indulgence during a hectic and unpredictable workweek. Unless it is pouring down with rain, you will find me there.
Today, I am on the hunt for Comté cheese, as I intend to make a soufflé for the very first time. I have bought plaice in season, and yes, the potatoes and oranges are still great, but the stinking sprouts and tumorous root vegetables no longer spark joy. “When in doubt, go retro”, is my mantra for all culinary ruts, so why not turn to “la vieille France” for some 70’s inspired cooking?
I have always avoided soufflés in the past because of the drama that surrounds them. “Will it collapse on the way to the table before I can serve my guests? Oh, the sighs of disappointment, I just can’t bear it!” The idea that my social status might hinge on this dish’s rise and fall has always made me nervous.
However, the master Jacques Pépin has whisked away all of my soufflé anxiety with his Genius Recipe video on Food 52. During his cooking demonstration, he explains to Food 52’s creative director Kristen Miglore that his mother, newly married at the age of 17, wanted to make a soufflé for her husband and asked her neighbour how to do it. The neighbour replied to her, “Oh, it is easy. All you have to do is make a béchamel then mix in the cheese and the eggs and put it in the oven.” As this young bride did not receive specific instructions to separate the eggs and whisk the whites to voluminous heights, she just beat them together and poured them into the other ingredients. No disasters occurred. She produced a lovely soufflé, which became a family favourite for years to come. Food 52 has declared this a Genius Recipe for the following very good reasons:
You can prepare it up to a few days ahead and then bake it at your convenience.
The soufflé neither rises into the stratosphere, nor plummets to a humiliating death. It is stable and reliable, like an accountant on Viagra.
When baked in a gratin dish, the delicious brown crust develops over a much larger surface. Family fights over “who gets the best bits” are over when you ditch the narrow soufflé receptacle.
It can even be reheated gently, tasting like a crustless quiche the second time around.
The Recipe
Notes
As if making a cake, I have followed the exact measurements that Jacques Pépin gave in his original recipe.
His method for making the béchamel is the easiest I have ever read, and of course, it works. I have written down his instructions word for word.
I swapped Comté cheese for his Gruyère, only because I consider it special, and added a little nutmeg and mustard for a subtle kick.
You can use any cheese that you fancy, but I would avoid Swiss Emmentaler, as it is too bland.
I served my soufflé with thin asparagus spears for dinner. It would also make a great brunch dish, and is certainly more elegant than the ubiquitous, sloppy strata.
List of Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional to butter a 5 to 6 cup gratin dish
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups (1/2 liter) whole milk
½ a teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
Around 6 ounces (150 grams) Comté cheese
A little freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon mustard
The Method
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees centigrade (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Butter a 5 to 6 cup gratin dish, then sprinkle half of the Parmesan all over the inside.
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 the whisk. Keep stirring with a 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.
Let the béchamel cool for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a bowl and beat well with a fork. Grate the cheese. (I dumped all of mine in the food processor with the coarse cheese grater blade and it worked.)
Test the béchamel to make sure it is cool. Quickly stir the eggs and cheese into the sauce until well blended. Add a teaspoon of mustard and a little grated nutmeg.
Pour into a buttered gratin dish. Sprinkly the last 2 tablespoons of parmesan over the top. Bake immediately, or set aside until ready to cook. The soufflé can remain out at room temperature for a few hours, but must be refrigerated if you intend to bake it the next day. Always bring it back to room temperature before putting it in the hot oven.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until puffy and well browned on top.
It is best served immediately.