I know what you’re thinking. Soufflés? At Christmas? No, I’m not mad. Savoury soufflés are a simple and impressive way to use up all that cheese that you have in the fridge at this time of year. I, for one, am a fiend for the cheeseboard, and not just at Christmas. I often opt for cheese over dessert, and it still stands true, regardless of the season.
The festive Christmas cheeseboard, however, is a wonderful thing, and while many opt to eat theirs after the main event, my family and I graze in the early afternoon, before dinner. Wedges of soft brie, tangy goat’s, deep-veined blue and sharp cheddar comprise the base of the board, and then I like to throw in a few of my own favourites, like French Comté, Boyne Valley Bán, Killeen, a goat’s cheese Gouda from Galway, and Durrus, a semi-soft, rind-washed cheese from Cork. While that seems like a ridiculous amount of cheese, a little wedge of each goes a long way, and the rest keeps well wrapped in parchment or waxed paper for the festive period.
There are, however, only so many leftovers sandwiches one can eat over the Christmas period, and finding ways to use up odds and ends of cheese can prove challenging. Enter my cheese soufflé. It is a delicious, impressive, and simple dish to whip up, and can be pulled together quickly, if guests arrive.
The base is an easy cheese sauce. Use whatever cheese you have to make up just over 100g. Grûyère is classic in cheese soufflés, but it will still taste delicious whatever you use. A few egg yolks are added with a little mustard – the mustard is optional, but it works well here. This cheesy base can be made ahead and stored in the fridge, ready to be whipped up into souffles.
Joan Collins: ‘I was typecast from 17 – British bad girl, baby prostitutes, delinquents’
Her old man is like, ‘You should have had Ross neutered a long time ago’
Charlene McKenna: ‘I spent lockdown in an Irish Rugby fleece covered in paint and dust’
Golden rules for stocking your kitchen: ‘Good equipment does not make you a good cook’
Whisk up a few egg whites to soft peak and then fold through the cheese sauce, divide between individual ramekins, and bake for 15 minutes. It works as a gorgeous starter, or even as a cheese course. Serve it with green salad and crusty bread for a deliciously cheesy dish that is bound to impress.
Recipe: Christmas cheese soufflés
