Three-Cheese Soufflés

October in New Orleans. The city is different from Baton Rouge in October — more festive, more French, the air carrying the particular energy of a place that celebrates everything and apologizes for nothing. I walked through the Quarter on Saturday, my first real exploration, and ate a muffuletta at Central Grocery that was so good I stood on the sidewalk and closed my eyes and MawMaw Shirley would have said, "That is a restaurant sandwich," and she would be right but the restaurant sandwich was magnificent.

I drove to Baker Sunday. The first visit since moving. MawMaw Shirley was at the door. Standing. The standing is the occasion. She pulled me into the kitchen and said, "Make me gumbo." Not she makes gumbo. Me. "Make me gumbo." So I did. In her kitchen. In her pot. The pot that is mine by declaration but is still hers by history. I made gumbo and she sat and she ate and the sixty miles collapsed into nothing because the kitchen was the same and the roux was the same and the granddaughter was the same.

When MawMaw Shirley said “make me gumbo,” what she was really saying was: show me you still know how. That’s what cooking for someone you love actually is — a demonstration of continuity, proof that the distance didn’t take anything. I’ve been thinking since Sunday about recipes that carry that same weight, the ones that ask you to be present and careful and fully there, and these Three-Cheese Soufflés are exactly that kind of dish. They reward attention, they require you to trust the process, and when they come out of the oven — tall and golden and improbably delicate — they feel earned in a way that matters.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing ramekins
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk, warmed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

Prepare the ramekins. Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter six 6-ounce ramekins and dust the insides with a pinch of Parmesan. Set on a rimmed baking sheet.
Make the béchamel base. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture smells slightly nutty but has not browned.
Add the milk. Slowly pour in the warmed milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, cayenne, and dry mustard.
Incorporate the egg yolks and cheese. Let the sauce cool for 2 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time. Fold in the Gruyère, Parmesan, and cheddar until fully combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Beat the egg whites. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy, then increase to high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Do not over-beat.
Fold and fill. Gently fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the cheese base to lighten it, then carefully fold in the remaining whites in two additions, keeping as much volume as possible. Divide evenly among the prepared ramekins, filling to about 3/4 full.
Bake. Bake on the center rack until the soufflés are puffed, deep golden on top, and just barely set with a slight wobble in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Do not open the oven door during baking. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Three-Cheese Soufflés — The Kitchen That Never Changes