Light and Airy, Earthy and Delicious!

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Many people are afraid of soufflés. And I get it. You hear stories all the time about a soufflé collapsing or simply not rising in the first place. If you've never seen anyone else make a soufflé, it can seem a little daunting to tackle the task from a simple recipe. But really, truly, I am here to tell you that it's absolutely do-able. Not only is it do-able, it's something you can easily master on an average olde' weeknight. The root vegetables and nutty undertones of Gruyère cheese in this recipe, make it altogether too easy to eat spoonfuls standing at the kitchen stove. 

Carrot and Parsnip Souffle'

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 to 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup carrots (cooked, seasoned, and puréed)

1/2  cup parsnips (cooked, seasoned, and puréed)

Butter, plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, for the dish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup diced shallots

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups warm milk

Sea salt

Fresh-ground pepper

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch ground nutmeg

1 thyme sprig, leaves only

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese (goat’s milk Gruyère is especially good here)

2 ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese

6 egg whites

One large souffle' dish (6 cup) or 4 individual (12 -13 oz)

Directions

Prepare the carrots and parsnips: steam, drain, and season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly then purée in a food processor or a blender with a drizzle of olive oil until smooth, adding slightly more olive oil if necessary. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and have a rack set at its lowest point. Butter a 6-cup soufflé dish(or 4-13 oz) or another baking dish such as a gratin dish and coat it with the Parmesan.

Melt the butter in a deep bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes more. Whisk in the milk all at once and stir vigorously for a minute or so as it thickens, then add salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, and thyme. Remove from heat. Add the carrot and parsnip puree. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time until well blended, then stir in the Gruyère and goat cheeses. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form firm peaks. Stir a quarter of them into the base to lighten the mixture. Then gently fold the soufflé base into the rest of the egg whites, being careful not to deflate them. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish, then put on the lower rack of the oven and lower the heat to 375F. Bake for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden, but still soft and wobbly in the center. Serve immediately.

Weeknight Tip: Did you know that you can make a soufflé ahead of time and bake them off when you're ready? This is a great party tip Make them the day before, cover tightly and refrigerate them. When ready to bake, bring them to room temperature then put in a preheated oven as earlier instructed. They can be refrigerated for up 2 to 3 days.

Here are some helpful Hints in making the Perfect Souffle'!

1. For Fail-Proof Meringue, Add Acid! 

This is not required by any means, but if you have trouble getting your egg whites or meringue to peak properly, you can always add a little lemon juice or cream of tartar to help strengthen the structure of the mixture.

2. Don't Overfold! 

The tendency with many people is to really whip the whites into the base mixture. This is a mistake. You want to gently fold in the whites only until the point where the streaks of white disappear. Until you do this a few times, you'll probably feel as though you're under-mixing. Chances are...you're not.

3. Use Fresh Room Temperature Eggs. 

Your eggs will act the way you want them to if they're room temperature. Whipping cold eggs is harder work and you won't get as much lift.

4. Level off the Top of Your Soufflé With a Knife. 

You don't have to do this, but you know that magical flat top that soufflés have when you order them at restaurants? That's achieved with the swipe of a flat knife on the top of your souffle.

5. Use the Bottom Oven Rack. 

Generally speaking (although each oven is certainly different), the bottom oven rack is what you want to use to achieve lift. So for anything light and airy that needs rise, bake on the bottom.

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