Goat Cheese & Thyme Souffle

 So this is Foodbuzz competition seems to be going pretty well for me.  I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know what I mean?  It seems pretty crazy that I made it to the third round.  I hope this good fortune keeps up!

This is one of the dishes from the dinner party challenge.  I've only ever made souffle once before, so I was crossing my fingers that this one would turn out well.  Souffle is not difficult, it's just delicate.  It needs to be served ASAP, so it's a little nerve-wracking if you have guests arriving.  You don't want it to be done too early, or make them wait.  I put these souffles in about 10 minutes before the scheduled arrival time and somehow it worked out right on schedule.  They actually came out a little darker than I wanted- I forgot to adjust the time for the smaller dishes (see the note below).

Timing mishap aside, the dish was well-received and delicious, if you ask me!  The goat cheese was delicate but not absent, and the thyme was light and fragrant.  I would definitely make this again in the larger size as a full dinner at home.  I served it with a simple salad of arugula and radicchio, dressed with a lemon balsamic vinaigrette (3 parts olive oil, 1 part balsamic, 1 part fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste).  The crouton on top is just a thinly sliced baguette, spread with butter, and broiled until golden brown.

Simple luxury, people.  That's what it's all about!

(It's also about voting for Challenge #3 if you haven't yet. :) )

Goat Cheese & Thyme Souffle
Food & Wine

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
3 1/2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, separated, plus 3 large egg whites
1/4 cup grated sharp white Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter a 1-quart soufflé dish. Add the Parmesan and turn the dish to coat it with the cheese. 2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until blended. Whisk in the milk, wine, mustard and anchovy paste and cook, whisking, until the sauce is smooth and thick, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese and 1 teaspoon of the thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the egg yolks. Scrape the soufflé mixture into a large bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface.  

In a large stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold one-third of the beaten whites into the soufflé mixture; fold in the remaining whites until just a few streaks remain.

Gently scrape the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the top with the Cheddar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme and some pepper. Bake the soufflé in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until nicely risen and browned on top. Serve at once with a green salad.

*The soufflé can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. Bring the mixture to room temperature before proceeding.

**You can also prepare this rich and comforting soufflé in two 2-cup ramekins, or 8 4oz ramekins.  Be sure to reduce the cooking time slightly- cook about 15 minutes for 4oz ramekins, closer to 20 for 2 cup ramekins.

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This post is part of a series featuring recipes from the FOOD & WINE archive.  As a FOOD & WINE Blogger Correspondent, I was chosen to do four recipes a week from FOOD &WINE.  I received a subscription to FOOD & WINE for my participation.