Blue Cheese Souffle

This week's Barefoot Challenge was a Blue Cheese Souffle, selected by Summer from (Sexy) Apartment. While souffle is a word that strikes fear into the hearts of many cooks, this was actually a pretty easy recipe. You start with a roux, beat in some egg yolks, blue cheese and parmesan, and finally fold the mixture into some stiff egg whites. The mixture is then tipped into a souffle dish and with a few hurried prayers, despatched to the oven for half an hour. And then, your souffle is (hopefully) risen and frothy and lovely.

How strong or mild the flavour of the souffle depends on the blue you use. I picked a King Island blue that was mid-range in intensity, and that suited us just fine. A few tips if you are tempted to give this a whirl: make sure you have your oven on the conventional oven setting not fan forced, as souffles don't like any air blowing around them. Do not open the oven door and peek at the blossoming loveliness of the souffle for fear of a collapse. Serve this immediately as it will slowly sink, and you will lose some of the airiness. However, curiously, I discovered that the leftovers are actually pretty good the next day. Certainly it tastes more like quiche at this point, but was still yummy with a rocket salad for lunch. I will definitely make this again for a light supper or lunch - maybe one day I will convince the kids to have a taste as well. Sadly at the moment they think that blue cheese is the work of the devil.

Blue Cheese Souffle

from "Barefoot in Paris" by Ina Garten

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish (NB US tablespoons as used in this recipe are 15ml, not the Aus standard 20 ml)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
3 tablespoons plain flour
1 cup scalded milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch nutmeg
4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped
5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 200C. Butter the inside of an 8-cup souffle dish (7 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 1/4 inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until smooth and thick. Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Put the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the souffle dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on top with the spatula to help the souffle rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.

Frittata for One

I am old enough to remember when eggs were the bad guys in the cholesterol wars, banished to the "once in a blue moon" category with

double cream and butter. But the pendulum has swung, and a friend has now been prescribed more eggs (if prescribed is what a nutritionist does) to help control his cholesterol. Apparently the good fats in eggs help fight cholesterol, plus they have a whole lot of nutrition and are very filling, so he won't nosh on something naughty mid-morning. So with that blessing in mind, here is a very very very easy frittata recipe from Nigella, that will get your day off to a good start.

Even if you are still half-asleep, you can manage this:

1. Scan fridge for any little bits and pieces of leftovers (vegies, maybe some ham or cheese or smoked salmon) that take your fancy, and grab two eggs.

2. Whisk eggs and chop whatever else you have grabbed finely, before combining them.

3. Tip the eggs into a hot pan, pause for two mins and then tip onto a plate. Too easy.

This was a perfect breakfast this morning with my fillings of choice - a little ham, a little capsicum and a little parmesan. Nigella also suggests using the frittatas as a filling in a sandwich with a smear of mayonnaise - something to do with your leftovers if there are any. Thanks to the ladies at I Heart Cooking Clubs for their theme this week: a Nigella One Pot (or pan) Wonder. I have no doubt that I will make this again and again and again.

Frittata

From "Nigella Express" by Nigella Lawson

For each frittata:

2 free-range eggs

knob of butter and a drop of oil, for frying

For a cheese frittata

25g/1oz Emmental, grated (or any other cheese of your liking)

For a chilli frittata

1 long red chilli, deseeded and sliced ¼ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground coriander

For a green frittata

20g/¾oz watercress, baby spinach or rocket, finely chopped 1 spring onion, finely sliced

For a ham frittata

50g/2oz ham, chopped

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add your choice of flavouring and beat well to combine.

2. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Once the pan is hot, pour in the egg mixture, swirling quickly to coat the base of the pan in a thin layer.

3. Cook the frittata for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat, then lift the edge of the frittata with a spatula to check it is set and golden-brown underneath; the top of the frittata should be just set but still a little gooey.

4. To serve, slide the frittata out of the pan onto a plate and fold one half of the frittata over the other. Repeat the process with different flavourings to make more frittatas as needed.

Goats Cheese, Potato and Rosemary Tortilla

Among the myriad of cooking blog events is the Blog Party run monthly by Stephanie at Dispensing Happiness. She is a very welcoming hostess - anyone happy to cook an appetizer and arrange some drinks is welcome to drop in. This month's theme was Brunch: Worth Getting Up Late For...Again, and I decided to turn up with this goat's cheese tortilla. For me, brunch = eggs, so it wasn't too hard to decide what to make. And as for drinks, I took the easy way out with a nice crisp glass of French champagne. Thanks for having me Stephanie.

This recipe is easy and endlessly variable depending on what mix-ins you want. Goat's cheese and rosemary were the perfect choice for a night at home alone (which was all the more reason to head along to a cyber party.) Husband would have found the rosemary a bit much, but I thought it was fabulous - judge for yourself where your preferences lie and adjust the recipe accordingly. And in case you slept really late today - this recipe isn't just a brunch - it is just as good as a supper.


Goat's Cheese, Potato and Rosemary Tortilla
adapted from Alex Kearns of Glebe Point Diner in Vogue Entertaining

2 tbl olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
350 g potatoes cooked, peeled and sliced
3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
6 large eggs
100g goats cheese fetta

Preheat oven to 190C. Heat oil in a 22cm oven proof fry pan, then add onion. Cook onion over medium heat until it becomes translucent. Add garlic and continue cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in potatoes and rosemary. Crack eggs into a bowl without stirring, then tip into the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break the yolks and fold the eggs into the mixture. Press cheese into the tortilla. Transfer to the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the egg is set (if you are using a cast iron pan this will take longer). Cool for five minutes then remove and serve.

Goats Cheese Souffles - Or How To Wow Without Too Much Trouble

The mere mention of the word "souffle" can make even the most competent chef feel a bit anxious, let alone the untrained masses who are creating meals every day. Many people steer away from even trying to make a souffle for this reason. The positive of this is that if you deliver a good souffle to the table, people are amazed and impressed, and their response will make you feel like you should be taking a bow on the stage of the Opera House. This recipe is easy, although there are quite a few steps, but the real joy of it is that the souffles are cooked ahead of time and then reheated just before serving. There is no need to feel any pressure about whether or not they will fall, (and you can also get away with owning only half a dozen moulds but cooking for a much larger group by doing the baking in batches). It also looks and tastes elegant, an adjective that applies all too rarely to my cooking! In other words, it is a fantastic dinner party dish.



I made these souffles during the week because I was planning to enter the Foodie Blog Roll Joust. Each month, three ingredients are selected and it is up to the entrants to create a meal that marries the three. This month, the ingredients are fennel, dairy and parsley, and I immediately thought of making a fennel and goats cheese souffle, with either a parsley emulsion or parsley crackers (hadn't really worked that bit out). Having made the souffles, I was looking at the entries for the joust so far, and found (to my horror!!!!) that someone had entered a fennel and goats cheese souffle the day before. Check out Foodycat's beautiful souffle here. While I haven't been watching these jousts for long, I am pretty sure that entering the same meal as someone else would be a little against the spirit of the competition. So here is my non-competition fennel and goats cheese souffle. If you don't like fennel, substitute onion to infuse the milk (although the fennel is a very mild flavour in this souffle).




Fennel and Goats Cheese Souffles (Makes 4)
adapted from "Feedback" by Michele Scamps

150 ml milk
1 fennel bulb chopped, plus reserve the leafy fronds and finely chop
40g butter
40g flour
200g goats cheese, chopped
3 eggs, separated, whites stiffly beaten
2 tbls shallots (green onions chopped)
100ml cream
50g parmesan

Preheat oven to 220C. Butter the moulds well. Place the milk and chopped fennel bulb in a small saucepan and heat gently for 10 mins. Melt the butter in another saucepan and add the flour, stir until it is a smooth paste and cook for 1 minute. Take off the heat, then strain the milk mixture into the butter and flour, and discard the fennel. Whisk quickly to get rid of lumps - the consistency you want is smooth and thick. Once it is smooth, add the goats cheese and stir in well. Add the yolks, shallots, chopped fennel fronds and season to taste. Allow the mixture to cool, then add the stiffly beaten egg whites, folding them in as gently as possible.

Spoon the mixture into moulds, filling them up to about 3/4 full. Place the moulds in a baking dish, then pour hot water into the baking dish to make a bain marie. Place carefully in the oven. Bake for 15-20 mins - until the souffles feel puffed and golden. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool a little. Once the moulds are cool enough to be handled, run a knife around the edge of each souffle and gently ease them out of their moulds onto a tray. If the bottom stays stuck in the mould, scoop it out with a spoon and pop it back on top. The souffles can be made to this point a day ahead, and kept in the fridge in an airtight container.

To serve, heat the oven to 220C. Spoon a little cream over each souffle and sprinkle with some parmesan. Cook for 10 minutes until puffed and golden. Serve immediately.

In the picture I have served it on some sauteed fennel and parsley. (Slice two large fennel bulbs thinly, then sautee in 2 tbls olive oil for 15 minutes over medium heat until soft and starting to go golden at the edges. Stir in 2 tbls chopped continental parsely and serve).

The World's Easiest Quiche Recipe

Without wanting to alienate any real men out there (where were you in the 80s if you missed that reference?), in my opinion, a quiche is a great, simple meal. Fillings are limited only by your imagination and palate, and they are fast, and failsafe to make. Tradition suggests either ham or spinach with cheese, but you can really play with whatever you have in your fridge (maybe sun dried tomatoes and cheddar or pear and blue cheese or smoked salmon and ricotta or asparagus and bocconcini, just go for it!) The attached picture shows caramelised onion and goats cheese.

I learnt this recipe doing counter lunches at the Kay Bee Hotel in Surry Hills (hello Tina if you are out there). You can use whatever pastry you have to hand, but I like filo for home, because it is thin, I always have some in the freezer and if you leave the ends overhanging your tart tin, you get a very dramatic effect. If you are entertaining, spare yourself some of the work by buying pre-baked tart shells.

Quiche - the Easiest Recipe

600 ml thickened cream

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

filo pastry or tart shells

salt and pepper

butter or olive oil spray

filling

grated cheddar or other cheese

Mix cream and eggs together, and season to taste. Grease a flan or tart tin with a removable base, and place it on a baking sheet. Lay 6 or 8 sheets of filo in the tin, leaving overhanging edges, and making sure the whole tin is lined. Brush the top sheet with melted butter (or spray lightly with olive oil spray). If you are using a cheese, sprinkle it over the base, then place your fillings on top. Depending on the shape of your fillings, you may want to create a pattern, or maybe just a random sprinkling. Carefully pour in the batter. You can sprinkle some more cheese or herbs on top if you like. Bake at 180C for 30-40 mins (less for small tart shells) or until puffed and golden, and the batter is set in the middle. Allow to cool in the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.