Stilton Souffle

 Nothing has a more daunting reputation than the humble souffle for complexity and prone to failure.  I blogged it a while back that I found a recipe that was pretty fool proof and I've been experimenting away with it.  There is nothing quite like the lighter than air puffiness of a souffle paired with a salad for a nice light meal like on "Meatless Monday" that we celebrate around here.

It is actually fairly easy in terms of steps that one takes.  The key is being organized and having your pots pans and bowls all lined up ready to go as each step is completed so you can move to the next phase.

As always, if you have a copper bowl use it for whipping the egg whites as that allows them to reach greater volume faster than other bowls due to some sort of reaction between the metal and the whites.  If you don't have a copper bowl I'd suggest you track one down as the results are so much better than what you get from  other bowls.  I got mine at Tuesday Morning for $20 a couple of years ago and they always have some sort of copper selection on hand there.

I use Stilton instead of other blue cheeses as I like the flavor better.  Its not quite as pungent as others and has an almost sweet after taste.  It also has a very creamy texture that melts better.  Of course if you can't find Stilton you could substitute Gorgonzola Dulce (another creamy style blue cheese), or any other blue you can find.

Stilton Souffle

• 4 egg whites
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup milk
• 3T flour
• 1 T water
• 1/2 t Dijon style mustard
• 1/8 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t cream of tartar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 oz Stilton - crumbled
• butter and flour for dusting souffle pan

Heat oven to 475F.  Set oven rack to lowest setting in oven.

In small bowl combine egg yolks, water, flour, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper whisking until smooth.

In small sauce pan over medium heat slowly heat milk to a boil.

Just before the milk comes to a boil remove 1/4 cup and add to yolk mixture whisking hard and fast to prevent scrambling the mixture to temper it.  When milk starts to boil, remove from heat and slowly whisk it all into the egg yolk mixture.

Add yolk mixture back to sauce pan and over medium heat bring to a boil. Whisk constantly and rotate pan to ensure you are whisking entire mixture.  Whisk until mixture is smooth and shiny and starts to bubble.

Reduce heat to low and whisk in the crumbled Stilton a few pieces at a time until smooth.  Once all cheese is whisked in remove from heat to cool a bit.

Combine egg whites and cream of tartar.  Beat on low for a minute to incorporate the tartar into the whites, beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Stir in 1/3 of the whipped whites into the yolk mixture to lighten the mixture.  Pour yolk base into the remaining egg whites and gently fold in taking care not to deflate them.  (This is the only tricky phase of the whole souffle but if you take your time and do it slowly you will keep the volume...don't beat it be gentle).

Butter and lightly dust the souffle mold with flour, shaking out excess flour.  Pour in the souffle mixture.  Bake at 475F for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to 425F and bake another 7-10 minutes until the souffle is well browned and puffed up over the edge of the dish.   Serve immediately.

Just a quick note to my readers.  Apologies for the lack of posts the last few months.  I've been dealing with daily migraines that traditional medicine IE heavy pharmaceuticals just couldn't bring to a stop.  Just recently my health plan sent me to an acupuncturist which miraculously brought about an end to the migraines.  Now that they are under control my energy, memory and ambition has returned....so will the blogging.

A new toy for me and Mocha Sorbet

I've wanted it for years and I broke down.  Between birthday money and a gift card or two burning a whole in my pocket I got it.  An Ice Cream maker.  Oh the goodies in store with that magical beast!

My first crack at it was the "Dark Chocolate Sorbet" recipe that came with my new toy.  It was pretty awesome all by itself.  But I got to thinking, hmmmm what could make it better?  Why use coffee instead of water and make it mocha, after all coffee and chocolate play together well any way so it was worth a try.  My gawd was it good.

I used Fresh and Easy's French Roast Decaf.  Any French roast would be fine as that deep dark roast has a lot of flavor behind it.  I used decaf just in case the kids would like it to prevent them from getting all buzzed.

I used simple sea salt, fleur de sel for purity of flavor.

I used Ghiradelli cocoa powder, but any good quality cocoa powder will work.

The recipe here is for a 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker like the one I just got.  You can adjust this to fit your ice cream maker by doubling or halving.

Mocha Sorbet

• 3 cups coffee
• 1 2/3 c sugar
• pinch of salt 
• 1 2/3 c cocoa, sifted
• 1 t vanilla extract

In sauce pan heat coffee and sugar until all sugar is dissolved and you have a simple syrup.  Off the heat gradually add in cocoa powder stirring constantly with a whisk until all is Incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Pour through strainer to insure no lumps.  Chill in covered bowl in refrigerator 2-3 hours or overnight until mixture is cold.

Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturers directions.  In about 15-20 the Mocha Sorbet will be ready.  If you want it firmer, spoon off into a lidded container and freeze a couple of hours.  (I actually prefer the firmer version).

McDonald's not so secret sauce

All these years I thought it was something simple like ketchup that made it that signature orangey-red.  Its not but you have to follow through the video to see what it really is!  Actually the video shows you how to make a Big Mac at home, which is alright too.  (Color me funny but I prefer the Carl's Jr Western Bacon Cheeseburger over the Big Mac 'cause its char-broiled not fried).

Meatless Monday on a Tuesday

So I was too busy to cook Monday and did our Meatless day on Tuesday...shoot me.

Ratatouille is a French dish that is stewed veggies that I twisted up oven roasted instead.  Traditionally it is served over bread or some protein like fish.  I opted to serve it over cooked Bulgar wheat keeping with the whole healthy meatless theme.  The nice thing about ratatouille is that there is no recipe Per Se rather you  grab what ever veggies are looking good that day in the groc and go from there.  I am certain I have some French Grandmother wagging her finger at me for what I did but what the heck...it's tasty and it quite yummy

To ensure your veggies all cook evenly cut them about the same size, here I opted for about a 1 inch dice.

Bulgar wheat falls in the stupid easy category of prep.  1 cup of the Bulgar wheat in a bowl.  Add 1 3/4 c boiling water or stock.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let set 15 minutes.  Fluff with fork to serve.

Oven Roasted Ratatouille

• 1 medium eggplant diced
• 6 Roma tomatoes diced
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 medium zucchini diced
• 1 Crookneck squash diced
• 1 medium sweet onion diced
• salt 
• pepper
• 2 t thyme
• 2 4 olive oil

Add diced veggies to bowl.  Toss with thyme and olive oil and spread on baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bake in 425F oven 40-45 minutes until veggies are starting to turn golden brown.  (If your oven has convection cycle use 400F and bake 30-35 minutes until veggies turn golden brown).

Meatless Monday...Veggie Curry

We've been doing a meatless dish a week here for a while.  Now we've decided to just pick a day to go meatless and be a little healthier in the process.  Part of our "what can we do to live in a healthier way" mindset for a while.  Why meatless...a lot of health reasons, not that this confirmed omnivore has any intentions of going vegan or vegetarian anytime soon.  Its just about balance and making sure we get enough fiber and veggies into our system each week.

I happen to have been doing a lot of curry type stuff of late.  The fun stuff with curry is there is no right nor wrong way to do it, there are as many variations as there are Indian grandmothers out there.  Pick and chose your favorite veggies, curries, spices and vary according to your own personal taste.

I served this with Garam Masala Rice...which is just rice made with a teaspoon of Garam Masala spice blend added to the rice.  And this wasn't exactly vegetarian as I cheated and used chicken broth, you can use veggie broth if you have some lying around, or just use plain water.

Veggie Curry 

• 1 onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 1 red jalapeno minced
• 1 small head cauliflower chopped
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 can baby corn
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 T curry powder
• 1 T Fennel Seed
• 1 T Cumin
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2T olive oil

In large sauce pan add olive oil and heat over medium high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, fennel seed, cumin and cook until onion is translucent.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.  Add remaining ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to boil then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until veggies are tender crisp about 15-20 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp

I know I have ranted about blueberries in the past, but if you can't pick your own wild buy the frozen wild from either Trader Joe's or Safeway's "O" brand.  Do not buy those dreadful grape sized flavorless gritty things that the markets try to pass off as blueberries, you are doing yourself a grave disservice if you do.  Call me a blueberry snob, I fit the profile.

That said, Rhubarb is in season.  That is one of those love it or hate it plant materials.  I love it. I remember getting a bit stalk as a kid and a bowl of sugar and eating it raw as a kid on my grandma's farm.  It was quite the treat.  And the things she would bake up with it were simply amazing and whenever I make it now it brings me right back to their kitchens.

Rhubarb is a very tart, stringy and tough stalk.  It does need to be pre-cooked, or at least that is how I remember it being done as a kid.  As it is very acrid I'd suggest you use a non-reactive pan when cooking it so you don't pick up any metallic aftertastes. Pre-cooking also tenderizes it so it will be perfectly tender to the tooth in your baked goods.

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp

• 3 stalks (about 2 c) diced rhubarb
• 1 12 oz package frozen wild blueberry
• 1 c water
• 1 c sugar
• 2 T corn starch
• 1 1/2 c oat meal
• 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/4t cinnamon
• 1/2 c butter melted

Combine rhubarb, sugar and water in sauce pan.  Bring to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover and cool to room temperature.
Toss blueberries with corn starch.  Fold in rhubarb mixture.  Put into an 8"X8" baking pan
In mixing bowl with paddle attachment mix oat meal, flour,cinnamon and brown sugar until blended.  Slowly pour in butter with mixer on slow speed.  Mix until it resembles course sand.  Sprinkle mixture over fruit.  Put in 350F oven and bake 35-40 minutes until bubbly and top is browned.

Breakfast Pizza...just don't call it "Quiche" in my house

Call it a "Breakfast Pizza" and I get 100% compliance when it comes to eating it and raves at the brunch table.  Call it a "quiche" and oddly only the lovely Mrs and I will eat it.  Go figure, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck...

Breakfast Pizza


1 package crescent rolls
2 packages breakfast sausage
5 strips bacon
2 cups mixed shredded cheese blend
6 eggs 
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt 
pepper
pinch cayenne pepper


Preheat oven to 350F


Sprtiz 13X9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Roll out the crescent rolls long wise in the pan.  pinch to seal the edges.


Cook the sausage and bacon.  Cut to bite size pieces and sprinkle over the dough.  Sprinkle cheese evenly over the meet. Combine egg, whipping cream, salt, pepper and pinch of cayenne.  Pour evenly over the meat and cheese.


Place in preheated oven and bake 30-40  minutes until eggs are set and center tests clean with a tooth pick.