Cheese soufflé (Julia Child recipe)

I love Julia Child's book. It is a book that explains the different culinary techniques, knowing that the reader may know nothing about cooking, and shows how they are applied to the different recipes it presents, of which there are many. In this way, you gradually enter the culinary world, and the truth is that her passion for cooking becomes contagious.

For those who do not know much (or anything!) about cooking, it is definitely a must-have; and those who already have plenty of knowledge enjoy all the recipes Julia suggests, with which they can undoubtedly shine.

That said, I love that Carmen, from Yerbabuena en la cocina, has made one of the recipes found in Julia Child's book. An ideal proposal for summer, and one I am sure you will enjoy.

Summer is arriving in full force and the heat is starting to make itself felt; it is becoming harder and harder to sleep at night, and we increasingly feel like preparing light or fresh dishes that not only help us feel better, but also give us more time to enjoy family or friends without it becoming an added effort while we wait for our longed-for vacation.

At home, we love snacking and informal meals. I really enjoy improvising dinner with family and friends, and I admit that Saturday nights are very special to me, since I take the opportunity to be with my children, seated on the sofa around the table, while they take care of getting from the fridge whatever they like most, some cold cuts, pizzas, different kinds of cheese that are never missing at home...

That is why I could not resist showing you this Tellier “Frisette” cutter, which lets you shave large curls in the shape of rosettes called girolles, designed for the Swiss cheese Tête de Moine, whose name means monk's head, and which comes from the Bellelay Abbey.

But getting back to today's recipe, I will tell you that soufflé is a classic of French cuisine: light, soft, delicate, and loved by both children and adults, whether in sweet or savory versions.

And what better reference than Julia Child, an icon of French cuisine, to learn how to make a good soufflé? Her books are a complete culinary compendium of fine workmanship, with rigorously tested recipes and clear, precise instructions. Originally from the United States, Julia Child elevated something as everyday as cooking into something much more sublime and, as the title of her work says, brought The Art of French Cooking within our reach.

I have followed the recipe in the book to the letter; only, instead of using a larger mold, I have used these beautiful Le Creuset ramekins, which I have served with a simple and delicious salad of arugula, figs, and Tête de Moine girolles, a perfect contrast in both flavor and texture.

In the photo, Pallarès boxwood-handled knife, Bérard olive wood board, Le Creuset ramekins, frisette cheese cutter, and Julia Child books The Art of French Cooking, volumes 1 and 2.

Ingredients (4 servings)

For the soufflé:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup boiling milk (200 g)
• 4 egg yolks
• 5 egg whites, beaten stiff
• ¾ cup grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
• ½ teaspoon salt
• White pepper
• A pinch of nutmeg
• Butter for greasing the molds
• Breadcrumbs

For the salad:

• 1 package arugula
• 4 figs, quartered
• 8 Tête de Moine girolles

For the vinaigrette:

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt

Preparation

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour without stopping stirring, and cook over medium heat for about two minutes. Add the boiling milk and stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk well to combine, and once it begins to boil, let it simmer for one minute without stopping stirring. The béchamel should be very thick. Remove from the heat.
2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks, then add the yolks one by one to the saucepan of milk, stirring after each addition, until the last one is incorporated. Adjust the salt.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff. If using an electric mixer, start at low speed for one minute or until it begins to foam, then add a pinch of salt and gradually increase the speed until you get glossy peaks.
4. Fold one quarter of the egg whites into the mixture in the saucepan and mix gently. Add the Gruyère and Parmesan (both previously grated; I love the Microplane zester grater, which you have surely heard of because they say it is the best in the world); add the rest of the egg whites as well and fold with upward, circular motions from the bottom to the center.
5. Pour the soufflé mixture into the ramekins (I used Le Creuset ones, but if you do not have them, mini cocottes would also work), previously greased with a little butter and sprinkled with breadcrumbs; fill them to three quarters of their capacity. Tap the molds lightly on the table and smooth the surface of the soufflé a little.
6. Preheat the oven to 205º. Place the ramekins in the middle of the oven and lower the temperature to 190º; cook until you see the surface start to brown. Leave them in the oven for 4 or 5 minutes to give them a little more structure.
7. To prepare the salad, take the Tête de Moine cheese out of the fridge a while before so it can come to room temperature. Turn the blade of the cutter over it, shaving off flower-shaped curls and set aside.
8. Mix all the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Quarter the figs. Place the arugula in a salad bowl, dress it with the vinaigrette, and arrange on the plates, leaving a space for the ramekin. Add the figs and the cheese flowers.
9. After 4 minutes, serve the soufflés immediately with the salad.