Saw some beautiful black grapes in the store and since I still had some of those wonderful brown eggs I decided to take a try at something I had in the To Try Pile of recipes.
Maytag Blue Cheese Souffles with Black Grape Reduction
INGREDIENTS
3 cups black grapes
1/2 cup water
For soufflés
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (preferably black walnuts*)
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
1/4 pound Maytag Blue cheese
2 large egg whites
1 cup black grapes
In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan simmer grapes in water, uncovered, 30 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer liquid to cleaned pan and gently boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Keep sauce warm, covered. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat sauce to warm before serving.
Make soufflés:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Butter six 1/4-cup ramekins (2 1/2 by 1 1/4 inches) and coat with walnuts, knocking out excess walnuts.
In another 1 1/2-quart saucepan heat milk and butter over moderate heat until butter is melted and bring to a boil. Add flour all at once and whisk vigorously until mixture returns to a boil. Transfer mixture to a bowl and whisk until it no longer emits steam. Whisk in yolk (mixture will be very stiff). Break half of Maytag Blue into small pieces and with a rubber spatula stir into flour mixture.
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and whisk half of whites into cheese mixture to lighten. Add remaining whites and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will be dense).
Divide batter among ramekins and arrange in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins and bake soufflés in middle of oven until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Break remaining half Maytag Blue into chunks. Invert soufflés, 1 at a time, onto a large plate and turn right side up. Spoon sauce around soufflés and arrange grapes and remaining cheese on plates.
I've never made a souffle of anything before so this was an excellent recipe to try. I halved the recipe so if there was a disaster I wouldn't be wasting much in the way of eggs or blue cheese. The mini souffles turned out light and savory with blue cheese while the grape reduction balanced out the savory with just a hint of sweet. I think I'm ready to step up to a big chocolate souffle.
