Corn Cob and Aged Cheddar Souffleˆ

Soufflés, both sweet and savoury, are served every day in bistros all over the world. They have a reputation as being difficult but they are actually a lot of fun to make. Fresh corn for this recipe really makes a difference, but frozen can be used in a pinch. I typically use white Canadian cheddar, but orange cheddar, Gruyère, Gouda or Oka are also great choices. It makes a great side dish for pot roast, roast chicken, roast pork or barbecued chicken.

Ingredients

4 ears fresh corn

1⁄2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter

3⁄4 cup (180 mL) unbleached white flour

2 cups (500 mL) 2% milk

1⁄4 cup (60 mL) minced shallots

1 clove garlic, minced

1⁄2 tsp (3 mL) salt

1⁄2 tsp (3 mL) ground white pepper

a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

5 free-range eggs, separated, whites reserved

1 cup (250 mL) grated aged cheddar cheese

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

3 tbsp (45 mL) grated Parmesan cheese

Remove kernels from corncobs with a sharp knife. Reserve the cobs. Place kernels in a food processor and purée until relatively smooth. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and add flour. Mix well until crumble paste forms. Set aside to cool.

In a second saucepan, combine milk, puréed kernels, corncobs, shallots, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Simmer cobs for 30 minutes and remove.

Stirring constantly, add hot liquid to cooled roux in the first saucepan. Simmer on very low heat for 15 minutes. As the sauce thickens, stir with a whisk to remove any lumps. Refrigerate until cool.

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Add grated cheese and egg yolks to cooled sauce. Grease 6 x 8-oz (250 mL) ramekins with butter and dust with Parmesan. Fill each with the mixture and bake in a 425ºF (220ºC) oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350ºF (180ºC) and continue cooking for an additional 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

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Corn Cob and Aged Cheddar Souffleˆ