February 27, 2008: Mushroom souffle

Q: So, what do you get after dropping a soy bomb?

A: A mushroom cloud!

And here it is in song...

If you're after something edible, I don't think there's anything that says 'cloud' quite so much as whipped egg whites. So how about a mushroom souffle? This is another dish that I didn't actually have a recipe for, so I relied on Google again and chose this one from "That's My Home" Recipes. It's a little sparse on the details, so I'll rewrite the recipe below as I cooked it.

Souffles have a reputation for being difficult, and by the time I'd sauteed my veges, whipped the egg whites and washed a dirty baking tray, I must admit I was feeling a little 'difficult' myself. But I got them into the oven, where they dutifully rose to the occasion. After about 10 minutes out of the oven they'd sunk again, but even these withdrawn souffles retained an airy, cloud-like texture beneath the cheesy crust. Michael loved them, and I liked them well enough. I dug the mushrooms and cheese, but the dominant egg flavour just doesn't work for me.

This probably isn't something I'll try again - I just couldn't resist sharing with you the punchline to my little joke!

Mushroom souffle

1/2 a large onion, finely diced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
a splash of oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup milk
4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Saute the onion and mushrooms in a splash of oil until softened. (I like mine really well done, but go for what you usually like.) Turn off the heat and set aside.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Add the milk and increase the heat a little, stirring until thickened. Stir in the mushrooms and onions. When the mixture has cooled a bit, stir in the egg yolks.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold them gently into the rest of the mixture. Grease a large baking dish or 6-8 ramekins and gently pour in the souffle mixture to 3/4 full. Sprinkle over the cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 190 degrees C.