Cheese and chive souffle with mustard cream served with rhubarb chutney

This souffle mix is enough for 10 x 7.5cm ramekins or 1 large souffle dish buttered and dusted with finely grated parmesan.  For 1 large souffle bake for 25-30 minutes until well risen and golden brown then serve immediately.

For the small souffles bake in a roasting tin 1/3 full with hot water for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside until needed (I made them the night before and kept them in the fridge).  Carefully remove the souffles from the ramekins and place on individual gratin dishes ready for the sauce.

I have re- posted my recipe for rhubarb chutney which I made 2010 and just gets better and better with age.

Ingredients

A little butter, melted
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
300ml whole milk
1 bay leaf
50 g butter
50 g plain flour
5 large eggs, separated
1 tsp wholegrain Dijon mustard
2.5 tbsp finely chopped chives
100 g Gruyere cheese

For the cream sauce

300ml double cream
2 tsp wholegrain Dijon mustard
Freshly milled pepper
1 tbsp grated Gruyere cheese + a little for topping

Pre-heat the oven to 200C

Butter the ramekins then dust with finely grated Parmesan

Heat the milk and bay leaf until almost boiling, transfer to a jug and set aside.

Add the butter to the pan over a medium heat to melt then add the flour and cook together for two minutes, stirring continuously. 

Add the hot milk a little at a time until you have a thick sauce, turn down the heat and cook it gently for 10 minutes.

Take the pan from the heat, remove the bay leaf and beat in the egg yolks 1 at a time.

Stir in the chives, mustard, cheese and seasoning.

Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks then with a metal spoon, fold them, gently, 1 tbsp at a time into the mixture (it is important to do this gently to keep as much air in as possible).

Carefully spoon 2 tbsp of the mixture into each ramekin and place them in a large roasting tin, pour boiling water into the tin to about 1/3 of the way up and place in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden brown.

For the sauce:  Gently heat the cream, add the mustard and pepper add 1 tbsp cheese and stir to melt.

Place the pre-cooked souffles on individual gratin dishes then pour sauce over each one top with a little grated cheese and bake for 10 minutes until light brown and sizzling.

Serve immediately with a little rhubarb chutney (recipe below)

Rhubarb Chutney

Ingredients

2 kg rhubarb, cut into chunks
450g onions, finely chopped
1 kg Demerara sugar
450g raisins
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp curry powder
900ml malt vinegar

Put 1/2 of the malt vinegar in a large heavy based pan along with the rest of the ingredients.  Cook gently until the rhubarb softens then add the remaining malt vinegar and cook until the mixture thickens.

Pour into warmed jars, seal and label.  Store in a cool place.