Twice-baked Ossau-iraty cheese souffle with blue cheese sauce

This decadent twice-baked souffle combines the nutty richness of Ossau-iraty cheese from the French Pyrenees with a sharp and salty bleu de brebis (blue cheese) sauce. The souffle is baked until airy, cooled, then cloaked in blue cheese sauce and baked again. It's served with a crisp green salad for a balanced and memorable meal for guests.

Credit: Blink TV

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 600 ml milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 80 g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 70 g plain flour
• 150 g ossau-iraty cheese, finely grated, plus extra for dusting
• 6 eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives

Blue de brebis sauce

• 20 g unsalted butter
• 2 golden French shallot, finely diced
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 300 ml white wine
• 300 ml thin cream
• 150 g Bleu de Brebis, or other blue cheese

Salad

• 4 cups baby mâché
• 10 fresh walnuts
• 1 pear, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ tbsp sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp walnut oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to serve

Standing time: 1 hour

Instructions

1. Place the milk and bay leaf in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and continue to cook, whisking until the roux turns blonde in colour. Gradually whisk in the hot milk until smooth and well combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking regularly, for about 4 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in 100 g of the finely grated cheese and season with salt. Pour the souffle base into a bowl, cover closely with a piece of baking paper or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 170˚C. Brush a 22cm soufflé mould with the extra softened butter and sprinkle with the extra finely grated cheese for dusting, making sure all the surface is covered evenly.
   
3. Whisk the souffle base until very smooth, add the egg yolks and whisk again until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites just until firm peaks form. Fold the eggs whites into the soufflé base and avoid over folding. Pour the mixture into the lined souffle mould, then bake for 40 minutes.
   
4. Meanwhile, for the sauce, place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, shallot and thyme and stir for 1-2 minutes or until softened. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add the cream and simmer until reduced by half again. Remove from the heat and whisk in the blue cheese. Set aside until ready to serve.
   
5. Once the soufflé is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 30 minutes. Invert the souffle from the mould into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining grated ossau-iraty, then return to the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until nicely risen.
   
6. For the salad, place the mâché into a bowl with the walnut and pear. Add the vinegar and walnut oil, season to taste and toss to combine.
   
7. To serve, reheat the sauce, then pour over the souffle, scatter with chives and serve the salad on the side.

Photography by Blink TV. Styling by Blink TV. Food preparation by Guillaume Brahimi.

From Normandy to the Spanish border, follow Guillaume Brahimi along the French Atlantic at SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.