A New Souffle!
Not that many years ago, while I was working on my cookbook, Soufflés (Gibbs Smith, 2014), I came up with this corn soufflé that really woke up my taste buds. I had taken my basic cheese soufflé recipe and added some briefly cooked fresh corn, red bell pepper, a little jalapeño, and garlic to the sauce base, and wham!—the birth of an instant favorite.
Can I Really Make a Souffle?
Because local corn is in season right now, you should try your hand at this recipe. If you’ve not made a soufflé before, please don’t worry. All you’re doing is whipping up egg whites in a grease-free metal bowl until they’re light and fluffy and thick enough to hold their shape without falling out of the beating bowl when you turn the bowl upside down—yes, that’s the surest way of knowing you’ve beaten the whites properly. At that point they’re ready to become friends with the warm sauce base. Be sure to beat the whites until they reach this stage and no further. Soufflés rise so magnificently because of the air in the egg whites. The yolks go into the base to make it silky smooth and creamy. You fold—incorporate--the beaten whites into the sauce in stages with a large silicone spatula to get as much air as possible into the soufflé. Once you’ve folded in the corn and peppers, into the baking pan goes the batter, and then into the preheated oven. While in the oven—no peeking, please—the soufflé expands and rises to about double its height, and in thirty minutes your beautifully risen and browned creation will be ready to serve. Use that time while the soufflé bakes to clean up. You’ll have a skillet and a saucepan or two, and a few small bowls and other utensils that need washing. Once that’s all done, put a salad together, and you’ll be all set to dine. A little Sauvignon Blanc would be perfect with this soufflé. Bon appétit!