Smoked Salmon Soufflé

• date: 2021-12-30
• sources:
  • https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/dec/28/nigel-slater-recipe-for-smoked-salmon-pudding
  • https://www.seriouseats.com/savory-cheese-souffle
  • https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Julia-Childs-Cheese-Souffle-625846
• yields: 3 servings (entrée); 6 servings (first course)

Gallery:

• https://www.instagram.com/p/CYF-wG2LOr9/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/CYfqoECrqVC/

Ingredients:

• 70 g (5 Tbs) butter
• 60 g (4 Tbs) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 small white onion
• 300 ml (1.25 cup) milk
• 1 Bay leaf
• dash grated nutmeg
• 4 eggs
• 55 g (2/3 cup) flour
• 100 g (1/4 lb) smoked salmon
• 10 g (2 Tbs) fresh tarragon
• 1.5 g (1/2 tsp) cream of tartar

Directions:

1. Prep the Baking Dish

   • preheat oven to 200°C (400°F)
   • lightly butter (14 g) the inside of a deep baking dish
   • coat bottom of dish with half of the grated parmesan

2. Milk Infusion

   • peel the onion and chop into a fine dice
   • stir the onion, nutmeg, and milk into a small pan
   • add Bay leaf
   • bring to a full boil
   • turn off heat and let sit for at least few minutes
   • force liquid through a strainer (reuse onion for other dish)

3. Separate Eggs

   • separate 4 large eggs, setting aside the whites
   • lightly beat the yolks with a fork

4. Soufflé Base

   • melt 50 g butter in a large saucepan
   • gradually stir in the flour to make a roux
   • stir continuously, until lightly browned (2 minutes)
   • gradually stir in the strained milk infusion
   • base should be a thick sauce; add warm water if it clumps
   • if it looks lumpy, whisk fiercely until smooth and thick
   • remove from heat
   • stir in the beaten egg yolks
   • stir in the remaining half of the parmesan, except for 1 Tbs
   • chop the smoked salmon and stir into the base
   • chop the tarragon leaves and stir into the base

5. Egg Whites

   • transfer the egg whites into a large bowl
   • add cream of tartar
   • use a large balloon whisk to beat by hand until stiff
   • gently fold in the sauce, one spatula-full at a time
   • spoon into the baking dish, making it level
   • sprinkle grated parmesan over top

6. Baking

   • bake for 20-25 minutes
   • crust should be pale to mid-brown; center should be soft and oozing

Substitutions:

1. Replace salmon with another smoked seafood or any finely chopped charcuterie, and swap out tarragon with another herb accordingly.
2. Pecorino can be a subtle replacement for Parmesan.
3. Caramelized diced carrots with chopped carrot tops, in place of the charcuterie and fresh herbs.