SWEET POTATO SOUFFLÉ

Nothing says “special side dish” more than a soufflé! And for fall holiday gatherings, our sweet potato soufflé, whisked from the oven after all the guests have been seated, will bring appreciative “Ooohs!” and “Ahhhs!” This classic preparation includes simple ingredients: sweet potato, egg, milk, cheese, butter, and herbs. Whipped together and popped into the oven, the mixture dramatically rises to a lofty cloud that crowns inches above its baking dish before settling back down once served. The key to its crowning glory? Be sure absolutely no egg yolks drip into the egg whites when separating the eggs. It’s also best not to prepare a soufflé on a humid day. And be sure to coat the sides of your soufflé dish with plenty of finely grated Parmesan, which gives the eggs something to grip as they billow upward.

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Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan Reggiano
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• Small bunch of fresh English thyme
• 1/4 of a large white onion, sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups grated fontina cheese
• 1 cup smoothly puréed roasted sweet potato
• 6 large egg whites plus 1/8 teaspoon salt

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METHOD

Butter & coat dish
With oven rack in center position, preheat oven to 400 degrees and butter a 6-cup soufflé dish with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Coat the sides with the 4 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan. Set aside.

Steep milk with herbs
In a small pan over medium heat, add the milk, bay leaf, thyme, and onion (chop the onion a bit if the slices don’t fit). Heat to boiling. Immediately remove from heat and set aside, allowing the herbs and onion to soak in the milk as it cools.

Make the base
In a heavy-bottomed stockpot over low heat, melt the butter. When it foams, whisk in the flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes until it turns golden and begins to smell toasty. Pour the milk through a sieve into the pot (discard the herbs and onion) and rapidly whisk the milk into the flour to make a thick paste. Remove from heat. Whisk in the salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Working one at a time, beat in the egg yolks, whisking to blend well. Stir in the grated fontina. Stir in the sweet potato. Scoop all into a large bowl. Set aside.

Whip egg whites
In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, or by hand, beat the egg whites with 1/8 teaspoon salt until firm peaks form. Using a spatula and an over-under motion, gently fold a quarter of the egg whites into the soufflé base. Repeat, folding in the remaining egg whites.

Bake soufflé
Pour the soufflé mixture into the prepared buttered and Parmesan-coated soufflé dish. Place in oven. Immediately reduce oven heat to 375 degrees. Close oven door and bake for 30 minutes (do NOT open oven while soufflé is baking!) or until soufflé has risen a few inches over the top of the soufflé dish and the top is nicely browned. Carefully remove from oven and serve immediately.