Individual Souffles

Most noontimes we have lunch at home -- in the breakfast room or in warm weather on the screened in front porch or even the back garden. A sitdown lunch -- not a hurry up and grab and go lunch.

Sometimes it is just a sandwich or soup but oftentimes, it's something I've fixed especially for lunch.

And we set the table with real dishes and cutlery.

For it's a relaxed meal with music wafting gently from the stereo. While we catch up with the mornings doings and share our plans for the afternoon.

I have been so hungry for a souffle. But, alas, a souffle is rather big and souffles do not make good leftovers (although Oliver thinks leftover souffles make good Oliver food!) so . . . I've been going "souffleless"!

Until I bought a new cookbook, The Pleasures of Cooking for One, by Judith Jones. (She, who made Julia Child famous) I bought the book not because I only cook for one but because the recipes were really very very good but the quantity was small and for the two of us I could just double her one.

And I bought the book because on the cover was a souffle!!!!!

On the way home from the city, we stopped by William-Sonoma to buy two required size souffle dishes.

And a couple of days later, for lunch we had . . .

A blue cheese and chive souffle -- which was divine!!!! Blue cheese because it was the only cheese I had in the fridge (other than Parmesan) and I didn't want to go to the store -- the chive because I had a bunch from the garden and thought that they would go well with the blue cheese.

Husband Jim thought it fantastic and we lingered a bit over this lunch. I've loaned the cookbook to friend Sally and don't have the recipe to add to this post. But I will post it when she returns it.

It's Friday and so I'm visiting Michael at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.

If you like souffles and don't have a large number to feed, this is a winner of a recipe and the $35 I spent on souffle dishes is $35 well spent! They make a great lunch (or a light supper) and it won't be the last time we'll have these souffles!

Thanks to Retabug for finding the recipe on-line!!! I've added it below!

CHEESE SOUFFLE FOR ONE

2 1/2 t. butter

1 T. grated Parmesan

1 T. flour

1/3 cup milk

large pinch of salt

small pinch of paprika

1 egg yolk

2 egg whites

1/3 c. grated cheese such as Cheddar or Swiss, tightly packed (I used bleu cheese)

Smear 1/2 t. softened butter around the inside of a souffle dish and sprinkle Parmesan over it. Preheat the oven to 425.

Melt 2 T. butter in a small pot and stir in flour. Let cook over low heat for a minute, then remove from heat. Pour in milk, whisking vigorously and return pot to medium-low heat to simmer for a minute, stirring constantly as the sauce thickens. Season with salt and paprika. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolk.

Put egg whites in a clean bowl and beat until they form soft peaks. Add a dollop of egg whites to pot and mix in along with about half of the grated cheese. Fold in remaining egg whites and cheese; transfer everything to the prepared souffle dish. Place dish on a baking sheet and set it in the middle of the oven. Turn heat down to 375 and bake 18 minutes until souffle has risen and top is lightly browned.

NOTE: I also added a big tablespoon of chopped garden chives.

Adpated from The Pleasures of Cooking for One, by Judith Jones, copyright 2009.