The Quintessential Cheese Soufflé and Rustic Fresh Fruit Pastry

In “The Greens Cook Book” in her recipe for “Taglierini, Zucchini, Lemon, Pine Nuts, and Herbs,” Deborah Madison instructs: “Slice the zucchini diagonally into pieces about the same thickness as the pasta. Line up the slices and cut them into narrow matchsticks. Each one will be tipped with green or gold…” When I first did that, I was in awe of such attention to esthetics. Next, in a recipe with mushrooms (I forget where), Deborah suggests cutting up the buttons randomly, into chunks, bumps, knobs, widges, so the dish not only has a more interesting texture but somehow the mushrooms feel as though they were gathered in the wild. In time, I became privileged to gain Deborah as friend and mentor. I know of no more sensual cook and she continues to be an inspiration.

Last night, I promised my granddaughters a cheese soufflé for supper. Now I have a recipe for cheese soufflé in one of my books, but it’s from another lifetime, so I opened Deborah’s “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.” I adapted her Goat Cheese Soufflé with Thyme, used half medium cheddar and half Monterey jack—few children like goat cheese, alas—and baked it in a relatively shallow square dish (Le Creuset, 7 cup capacity, 8-1/2 inches square by a scant 1-3/4-inches deep). Perfection. The trick before baking—as for soufflés baked in traditional deep round dishes—is to run a finger around the rim of the dish, slightly pushing the preparation up toward the center. It baked high, puffed, with a lovely square hat, fully cooked but still moist in the center. Everyone—especially Grandma—was thrilled.

Deborah Madison’s Cheese Soufflé (via SVT)

Place 6 large eggs in a bowl and cover with warm water—chilled whites don’t beat to fullest volume. Place the oven rack in the lower-middle position, use a baking stone if you have one, and set the temperature to 400o. Butter a 6-cup soufflé dish or 7-cup square or oval baking dish, then dredge with about 2 tablespoons grated or ¼ cup flakes of Parmesan cheese.

Make a cheese sauce: melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart saucepan, whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cook over medium-low heat about 2 minutes (takes away the raw taste of the flour). Whisk in 1¼ cups whole milk or half-and-half and whisk over low heat until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and blend in ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, several turns of the white pepper mill, and, depending on how salty the cheese you’ll use, ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt.

Separate 4 of the eggs: drop the white first into a small cup (if a speck of yolk falls in, whites won’t beat high—last night, TWO yolks broke, it happens when eggs aren’t spanking fresh), then turn it into a medium-size non-plastic mixing bowl. Drop each yolk as you go into the sauce and whisk until blended. Now whisk the cheese of your choice into the sauce, 4 ounces—rounded 1 cup—crumbled or coarsely grated (a portion of Parmesan adds depth).

Separate the remaining 2 eggs and add the whites to the others (save the yolks for something else). Beat until foamy, add a pinch of salt, then beat until stiff but moist—when you raise the beater, a little peak curls over. First lighten the cheese sauce by blending one-fourth the whites into it…use a broad rubber spatula to fold in completely. Quickly fold in the remaining whites: constantly turning the pan, blend using a down to the bottom up around the sides motion. Stop when there are no more patches of either sauce or whites. Smooth evenly into the prepared dish, pushing the preparation up toward the center. Run a forefinger ½-inch deep around the sides to make a channel. Set in the oven, reduce the heat to 375o, and bake until nicely browned, 30 to 35 minutes. If you like the center saucy, bake till the top is a bit jiggly. If you want it firm, gently shake the dish to make sure the top doesn’t jiggle. Rush to the table in triumph! Makes 4 to 5 servings.

I’ve never done it but I read you can refrigerate the cheese sauce in advance, then fold in the whites just before baking. I’ve also read you can pop the soufflé, all set to go, into the fridge for 15-30 minutes, then bake. I’m not brave enough.

A lovely summer supper for friends would be this cheese soufflé served with slices of heirloom tomatoes and a mixed green salad, and for dessert, Deborah’s galette of fresh fruit. The galette is also from “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone,” an essential for every inventive cook’s library.

Deborah Madison’s Fresh Fruit Galette (via SVT)

This tart is the absolute easiest, funnest, handsomest, and one of the most delectable of pastries (once upon a time I wrote a little book on tarts, so I know whereof I speak.) The pastry is short and flaky, the dough quickly made, and those who have had trouble rolling out dough will find it eminently user-friendly. The galette’s shape is freeform—whatever ends up after rolling out, delightful. The flavors of the fruit are fresh and pure because they are lightly sugared and not thickened. And there’s the added flavor the fruit’s peel gives, as there is no need for peeling. And the galette is accommodating: you can serve it 20 minutes after pulling it from the oven or the next day. Utterly stress-free!

Pieces of fruit are casually arranged over a round or oval of dough observing a broad margin, then the margin of dough is folded up over the fruit, pleated and pinched to make a secure border (no escaped juices to burn on the oven floor). Finished, the handsome fruit is set off by a fetching frame—even the frame’s raggedy edge adds charm. Whatever fruit that bakes successfully works—apples, apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, figs, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries. Use a single fruit or, as I love to do, a mélange—my last was 6 large plums, 1 big peach, and 1 cup of blueberries. Blueberries, blackberries, and gooseberries can bake the full time, but raspberries should be lightly sugared and sprinkled over the last 10 to 20 minutes of baking.

There is one essential: a base of crumbs to absorb juices. Once I forgot them in a plum galette and the pastry was sopped. Deborah calls for amaretti, biscotti, or dry bread crumbs…I have also used gingersnaps.

Place the oven rack in the middle position, use a baking stone if you have one, and set the temperature to 425o. Preparation time is about 45 minutes.

For the dough, use a fork to mix 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter—cool but not ice cold—in small chips. With the tips of your fingers, rub butter and flour together until about half the butter is in pea-sized chunks (these make the pastry flaky), the rest of the mixture is crumbly. Drizzle over 1/3 cup ice water and use the fork to quickly blend it in—about 12 strokes. Gently press the dough into an inch-thick round. If the room is hot or the butter was soft or it’s helpful for your schedule, wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes or freeze for several weeks. When ready to roll out, the dough should be cool but malleable.

Now Deborah and most pastry chefs prefer dough for tarts rolled 1/8-inch thick, which makes a delicate base. For this country matter, I prefer it a shade thicker (scant 3/16-inch) because the pastry is crunchier and holds up beautifully if there’s a second day. So roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 13-inch (slightly thicker crust) to-14-inch (classic thickness) round…the shape can be irregular but the thickness should be even. Butter a 14-inch or larger pizza pan or rimless pan or the underside of a rimmed sheet. Gently fold the dough in half then lift onto the pan and unfold. Patch as needed. If desired, you can cover tightly and refrigerate for a day—then when heating the oven, tuck in the pan just long enough to warm the dough to cool but malleable.

Prepare the fruit: about 6 cups of fresh ripe stemmed, pitted, and/or cored fruit, usually 2 pounds. Apricots and figs are sliced in half; peaches, nectarines, plums, and apples are sliced a generous 1/4-inch thick. Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries are just rinsed.

Leaving a 2-inch margin all around, smooth 1/3 to 1/2 cup (depending on the juiciness of the fruit) crushed cookie, dry bread, or cracker crumbs—or a tasty mixture—evenly over the dough. Arrange the fruit over the crumbs—apricot halves cut sides down, fig halves cut sides up, slices and berries evenly distributed. Fold the margin of dough up over the fruit and pinch to make wide pleats...pinch tight and look for any places a piece of fruit may have poked through or the dough looks suspiciously thin…this dough is a cinch to patch (no water needed). Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and gingerly brush the dough all over, then brush the remaining over the fruit. Sprinkle both dough and fruit with 3-4 tablespoons sugar.

Bake 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 375o, and bake until the fruit is tender and the pastry nicely browned, another 20 to 35 minutes. Carefully run a long thin spatula underneath the galette and slide onto a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes so the bottom will not soften. Best served warm with cream or vanilla ice cream. Makes 8 to 9 servings.