Asparagus Soufflé



Have you ever attempted to make a soufflé and it just didn’t live up to your expectations? That’s when it pays to have friends who actually know what they are doing. After trying unsuccessfully to recreate a fabulous soufflé I enjoyed at a brunch given by chef, and fellow food blogger, Brett of In Praise of Sardines I broke down and asked him for help. Thank goodness for talented friends who are generous with their advice!

Here is what Brett had to say when I asked him for some tips to making my soufflé light and fluffy:

  1. Butter the ramekins thoroughly, then coat with very fine breadcrumbs.
  2. Use cake flour instead of all purpose in the bechamel.
  3. Use extra egg whites. Whip them to soft peaks that are dancing on the edge of becoming stiff peaks.
  4. Work quickly and fold with a light touch.

Brett also shared his soufflé recipe (see his butternut squash pudding soufflé) with me which I fiddled with a bit, incorporating some ideas that seemed to work from my other soufflé endeavors, which I share with you now. Note that soufflés really are a bit tricky to make; this is not a beginner recipe. But if you are confident with your egg white whipping and folding skills, you should have no problem with this one.

What I love about Brett’s approach is that you can actually make these soufflés in advance, which is perfect for a brunch gathering or a party in which you want to have most of the cooking done ahead of time. We ate half of them right out of the oven, and we re-baked the other half for a later meal. Both sets were delicious.


Asparagus Soufflé Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 lb asparagus spears, bottom ends trimmed and discarded, thick spears peeled, spears cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup finely ground dry bread crumbs
  • 3 Tbsp cake flour (can substitute all purpose flour)
  • 1 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch dry ground mustard
  • Pinch ground cumin
  • Pinch ground ginger
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese (can substitute Parmesan, but frankly I prefer the Gruyere)
  • 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 5 egg whites
  • 6 8-ounce ramekins


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