Although it’s not a traditional souffle, it is very airy, despite its dense ingredients. We serve it as a main dish accompanied by other vegetables, but it easily works as an elegant side dish with roasted or grilled meats. From Doug and Anne Brown, serves 4.
Ingredients
2 large baking (russet) potatoes (about 1 pound) peeled and quartered
6 tablespoons hot milk (use whole milk)
1 tablespoon butter
2/3 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
3 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bring potatoes to boil in plenty of salted water. Cook over moderate heat for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Force potatoes through a potato ricer or sieve. Add hot milk, butter, cheese and egg yolks and blend well. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Beat egg whites stiff and fold into the mixture. Pour into a well-buttered soufflé dish and bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is golden. Serve at once.
Wine ideas: This dish is hearty enough to stand up to a red wine, but if you want to serve this as a main course with a salad, a white wine will do well. Try a pinot blanc, which has a rich texture but light flavor — perfect for a dish that carries itself on richness more than big flavors. Trimbach makes a model example, and it runs only about $12. — Tara Q. Thomas
