Cheese Souffle and Arugula Salad

This is Saturday night dinner.  We went to Cherokee Friday night.  I had been running errands all day and I like to eat there because they know how to cook broccoli.  I always get broccoli as my side dish.  I had chicken.  Unfortunately they don’t do roasted chicken, my favorite.  Today we went to a home show.  I wanted to eat at the Capitol Grille in the Hermitage Hotel as the chef has been nominated for best chef in the mid-west by the James Beard Society.  The dining room was closed, but we could eat in the bar, same chef.   I had a type of Oysters Rockefeller and the best onion bisque on earth.  Jim had chicken fried steak because plain steak does not have enough cholesterol.  After, we stopped in the restrooms.  The men’s room has been restored to its original art deco interior.  No one was in there so I took a peak.  It was fabulous. 

The soufflé for Saturday was from Julia.  If you do not own the Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia, shame on you.  Our salad was from Rocco Dispirito.  I wanted to make it because it had beets in it.  Jim did not want to eat it because it had beets in it.  The tart taste of the salad and the buttery of the soufflé were perfect together. 

Red Beet, Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad  Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium red beets (I had pickled beets from the farmers market)   

6 oz. baby arugula

¼ C reduced-fat balsamic vinaigrette, such as Ken’s Light Options (I made my own, 3T EVOO, 1T balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper)

¼ C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 T chopped fresh chives

¼ C chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

1.      If you are not using pickled beets either cook the beets in a microwave or bake them.  Peel and cut into bit-size wedges.

2.      In a salad bowl, combine all ingredients and toss in the dressing. 

Soufflé Au Fromage

Ingredients:

3T + 1 t butter

3T flour

1 C boiling milk

½ t salt and a pinch

1/8 t pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

4 egg yolks and 5 egg whites

¾ C coarsely grated Swiss or parmesan cheese + 1T

Directions:

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.      Butter the inside of a 6 qt. soufflé bowl and sprinkle with 1T parmesan cheese.

3.      Melt the 3T butter in a saucepan.  Stir in the flour with a wooden spatula and cook over moderate heat until butter and flour foam together for 2 minutes without browning.  Remove from heat; when mixture has stopped bubbling, pour in all the boiling milk at once.  Beat vigorously with a wire whip until blended.  Beat in the seasonings.  Return over moderately high heat and boil, stirring with the wire whip, for 1 minute.  Sauce will be very thick. 

4.      Remove from heat.  Immediately start to separate the eggs.  Drop the white into the egg white copper bowl and the yolk into the center of the hot sauce.  Beat the yolk into the sauce with the wire whip.  Continue in the same manner with the rest of the eggs.  Correct the seasoning. 

5.      Add an extra egg white to the one in the bowl and beat with a pinch of salt until stiff.  Stir in a big spoonful into the sauce.  Stir in all but a T of cheese.  Delicately fold in the rest of the egg whites.  Be careful not to over fold.

6.      Turn the mixture into the prepared mold.  Tap the bottom of the mold lightly on the table, and smooth the surface of the soufflé with the flat of a knife.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese on top. 

7.      Set on a rack in middle level of preheated oven and immediately turn the heat down to 375.  In 30 minutes the soufflé will have puffed about 2” over the rim and the top will be nicely browned.

8.      Serve immediately.  Serves 4.  (We saved a piece and split it for breakfast.  I made some bacon for Jim.)