Shrimp Souffle
Submitted by fouine
A cloud-light shrimp souffle with dry mustard, tarragon, lemon zest, and Parmesan rising tall and golden from its dish. Impressive to serve and easier to make than you’d think.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsA souffle sounds intimidating, but this one is honestly more forgiving than its reputation suggests.
The base is a simple white sauce flavored with dry mustard, tarragon, and a hit of lemon juice and zest. Egg yolks get beaten in for richness, chopped shrimp folded through for substance, and then billowy stiff egg whites lift the whole thing skyward.
Into a Parmesan-dusted dish it goes, and 35 minutes later you pull out a puffed, golden, trembling masterpiece that smells like a French bistro.
Get everyone to the table before you open the oven door. A souffle waits for nobody.
Chef Tips
- Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Over-beaten whites turn grainy and won’t fold smoothly into the base.
- Fold the whites in with as few strokes as possible. A few streaks of white are fine. Over-mixing deflates all the air you just whipped in.
- Dust the buttered souffle dish with Parmesan instead of breadcrumbs. It adds flavor AND gives the batter something to grip as it climbs.
- Never open the oven during the first 25 minutes of baking. The draft will collapse your souffle before it sets.
Ingredients
Directions
Chop shrimp roughly and set aside.
In the top of a double boiler over boiling water, melt butter.
Add flour, mustard and tarragon. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, until mixture is thick.
Add milk all at once and stir until a thick sauce is formed.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Beat egg yolks, then beat then into the sauce.
Add lemon juice and peel.
Butter a 1-quart souffle dish and dust well with grated cheese.
Start oven at 350℉ (180℃).
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.
Stir shrimp into sauce, then fold in egg whites, as few strokes as possible.
Do not overmix. Pour mixture into souffle dish and bake for about 35 minutes, until souffle is puffed, browned and fairly firm.
Decorate with whole cooked shrimp, if desired.
Serve at once.
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