Souffles

Ingredients for 6 -8 servings:

1 pound rhubarb after trimming both ends (4+ cups, diced)

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup egg whites at room temperature

3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the interior of a 7-8 cup souffle mold and coat it with granulated sugar. Reserve an oven-proof dish large enough to hold the souffle mold and deep enough fill with 2" water. Heat one quart water to a boil and reserve.

• Halve the rhubarb stems lengthwise and then across into one-half inch pieces. Place the water and sugar in a heavy skillet, and bring water to a simmer, shaking rather than stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the rhubarb to the simmering syrup, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover, and continue cooking another 10 minutes until the rhubarb mixture is very thick and reduces to 2 1/4 cups. Pour it into a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool.

• Wipe the bowl and whisk with distilled vinegar before beating the egg whites. Alternate beating in tablespoons of sugar and cornstarch when the whites reach soft peaks. Fold the whites into the rhubarb jam gently in three installments leaving streaks to avoid over-folding. Transfer the souffle mixture carefully into the prepared mold, and set this mold into a larger pan. Pour hot water to come two inches up the side and bake for 40 minutes.

• Serve the souffle by lifting off a portion of the browned top and then scooping out the interior underneath.

HOLDING AND REHEATING A SOUFFLE

• The souffle can be refrigerated as long as 30 minutes before baking.

• The souffle can be prebaked and allowed to cool to room temperature. It will puff up again once the water bath is reheated, and the souffle placed in a 325 degree oven for 15 -20 minutes.

CRANBERRY SOUFFLÉ

Ingredients for 6 individual servings:

1 pound fresh cranberries

1/3 cup water

2/3 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

6 large egg whites at room temperature (scant cup)

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions;

Generously butter and sugar 6 ramekins.  Refrigerate.

Cranberries: Pick over the berries and discard those that are bruised before measuring them.  Combine them in a saucepan with water just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.  Cover the pan, and bring to a simmer.  Uncover, and cook the berries until they are soft and the mixture is thick, about 2 - 3 minutes.  Put the berries through the coarse screen of a food mill.  Reserve 1 cup.  Refrigerate any remaining puree for another use.

Syrup base:  Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, swirling the pan to assure that the sugar dissolves completely.  Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes, uncover and continue cooking until the syrup reaches 265 degrees.  Add 1 cup puree and cook, stir the mixture and reduce to 1 cup.  Pour the hot cranberry base into a container to cool (over ice if using immediately).

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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Beat the whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks.  Sift on the powdered sugar in three installments and beat into the whites.  Fold the whites into the cooled fruit puree 1/3  at a time.  Spoon the soufflé base into the chilled ramekins and bake for 15 minutes.

Unmold soufflés onto plates and serve immediately with crème anglaise.

LEMON SOUFFLÉ

Ingredients for 6 servings:

1 cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 tablespoons unsalted butter.

1 cup egg whites at room temperature (7 large whites)

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup Lemoncello, (optional)

Garnish: crème fraîche

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Generously butter and sugar a 6 cup soufflé mold.

Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon zest in a saucepan. Stir in the lemon juice and bring mixture to a simmer whisking continuously.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Turn the lemon mixture out into a mixing bowl to cool.  Beat in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time.  Allow this base to cool for a few minutes.

Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks.  Sift on the  powdered sugar in 3 installments.  The whites will be very supple and meringue-like.  Fold the whites into the lemon base in thirds.  Spoon this mixture into the prepared mold and bake until puffed and brown, about 20 minutes.

Optional: Make a small opening in the crust of the hot soufflé, and pour in the Lemoncello.  Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.

CREAMY ONION SOUFFLĒ

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, divided

1 large Spanish onion

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ cup unbleached flour

1 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon ground sage

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 cup egg whites at room temperature (6 –7 large whites)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Generously butter an 8 cup soufflé mold.   Lightly coat with grated cheese.  Refrigerate the mold while preparing the ingredients.

Peel and remove the root end of the onion.  Cut it into 8 roughly equal pieces and place them in the work bowl of a food processor .  With 8 to 10 pulses evenly mince the onion without puréeing or liquifying it.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet and sauté the onion pieces over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the onion has rendered its moisture and the mixture is wilted.  Remove from the pan and cool.

In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, add the flour and cook together for a minute.  Off the range beat in the cream vigorously.  Return the pan to the heat and cook until the base is quite thick.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the sage, salt and pepper.  When the mixture has cooled slightly, add the cooked onion.

Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Stir one-third of the whites into the soufflé base.  Gently fold in the remaining whites a third at a time to achieve a light homogeneous texture.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared mold and bake for 35 minutes, the soufflé will be puffed and deeply browned.