Recipes

—from Michelle Anna Jordan

Serve this soufflé neat or you can add other elements and a sauvignon blanc such as Charles Krug 2002 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

To serve as a first course, add blanched haricots verts tossed with just a whisper of olive oil alongside; cut tiny currant tomatoes in half, toss them with a little kosher salt and serve them alongside, either with or without the haricots verts.

To serve this soufflé as a cheese course after the main part of the meal, add thin wedges of apple and crackers to the plate.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk or half and half
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper in a mill
• 8 ounces chèvre
• 6 tablespoons fresh snipped chives
• Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
• 4 eggs, separated    

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan (medium-sized, not small) set over medium heat. When it is foamy, stir in the flour and whisk until smooth.
3. Cook for 30 seconds and very slowly whisk in the milk, a few tablespoons at a time. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Stir in the goat cheese until is incorporated into the sauce, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
6. Butter the inside of a 1 1/2 quart soufflé dish.
7. Meanwhile, put the egg and yolks in a small bowl and whisk until well blended and just beginning to lighten in color.
8. Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mix and beat until they form stiff peaks.
9. Stir the egg yolk into the cooled goat cheese mixture.
10. Using a rubber spatula, fold in half of the egg whites until they are just barely combined.
11. Add the remaining egg whites and fold very gently. Do not over mix or the soufflé will not rise properly.
12. Pour the mixture into the buttered soufflé dish.
13. Bake until the soufflé has doubled in size and is lightly browned, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.