Black Pepper Gruyere Souffle
By: 
Dish Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Comfort Food
Ingredient prep: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Makes: 2
 
This delicious individual recipe can easily be doubled to serve four. If you don't have the proper size ramekin, try a 2 quart gratin or souffle dish
Ingredients
  • Butter, for the dishes
  • 1½ C whole milk
  • 1½ C fresh bread crumbs (from about a third of a loaf of sturdy white or rye bread with crust removed; see notes)
  • Scant ⅛ t cayenne pepper
  • ½ t sea or kosher salt, plus a pinch
  • 1 C coarsely grated Gruyere
  • 1 t dijon mustard
  • 2 large eggs, whites and yolks separated (see notes)
Make It
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 (F) and place rack just below middle position. Butter two 2-cup ramekins (I have these, found at Target stores) and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Place egg whites in a clean glass or stainless (not plastic) medium mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer.
  2. In a small saucepan, heat milk over medium high until it just boils. Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs, cayenne, salt, and about 10 grinds of black pepper in another medium mixing bowl. Add milk to the bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes. Stir in cheese, mustard, and egg yolks until well mixed.
  3. Using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of the stand mixer, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium high speed until they form soft peaks. The peaks should fall soon after forming. Fold whites very gently into the bread crumb mixture, but make sure to combine well to avoid pockets of egg in your souffle. Pour an equal amount of the batter into each ramekin and bake until puffy and golden brown on top, about 25 minutes. Serve right away for the most impressive results (although the souffles still taste delicious after deflating slightly).
Notes
To make fresh bread crumbs, remove crusts from 3 or 4 slices of bread, and tear or cut into chunks. Place bread in food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form. You can use fresh bread if it's a firm, crusty variety, or use bread that has gone a bit stale.

Be sure that no shell or yolk gets into the egg whites, and that you're working with clean hands, bowl, and mixer. Otherwise, the whites might never turn opaque and fluffy. See this post for more info.

Recipe adapted from The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
Recipe by Natural Comfort Kitchen at https://www.naturalcomfortkitchen.com/black-pepper-gruyere-souffle/