For most people, Valentine’s Day is about chocolate. You can get wonderful chocolate at the Hatch Family at their new location on 8th Avenue between D and E Street in Salt Lake City’s Avenues. Their caramels are the best I’ve ever had - plain or with chocolate.
But I’ve said it before - for me it’s about cheese. There isn’t a food I love more, and here’s a favorite recipe for a romantic dinner with a big wow factor. A little salad, a little wine, a little candlelight - stop and get some chocolate for dessert.
Basic Cheese Soufflé
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2½ tablespoons butter plus some soft for greasing dish
- 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1-cup milk (not nonfat)
- ½-teaspoon chili powder (as hot as you like - or use dry English mustard)
- ¼-teaspoon nutmeg
- ½-teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 5 large egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup (packed) cheese - something with lots of flavor
Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in lower third. Butter 6-cup soufflé dish and dust with Parmesan cheese. Heat milk in saucepan until steaming. In another saucepan, melt butter with garlic on medium low heat and stir in flour after foam subsides - do not brown. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, pour in hot milk, whisking until smooth. Return to heat; cook whisking constantly for 2-3 minutes. Mixture will be very thick. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Add chili powder, nutmeg and salt. Add egg yolks one at a time, whisking after each addition. Allow to cool (can be made up to 2 hours ahead - do not chill). This is the soufflé base.
With electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in clean bowl until stiff not dry. Stir ¼ of egg white into base. Gently fold in remaining whites in two additions. While gradually sprinkling in cheese. Transfer mixture to prepared soufflé dish.
Place dish on lipped cookie sheet and into oven. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Bake until soufflé is puffy, golden brown, and slightly wiggly when gently shaken - about 25-30 minutes. Don’t open oven door until at least 20 minutes have passed. Serve immediately.
Any kind of cheese will work, but be sure it’s real, flavorful, and something you like.
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Adapted from recipes by Julia Child and Ina Garten.
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