ROASTED GARLIC & GRUYERE SOUFFLE

ROASTED GARLIC & GRUYERE SOUFFLE image

Yield 8 people

Number Of Ingredients 13

3 large bulbs garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
6 eggs, separated, room temperature
1 cup finely grated gruyère
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Pinch of cayenne

Steps:

Preheat an oven to 350° F. Cut 1/2 inch off the top of the garlic. Place in a small shallow baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and add 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the garlic is soft, 30 to 45 minutes. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for a few minutes. Place half-and-half and cream into another saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a scald. Add the hot cream mixture to the flour and butter mixture, stirring rapidly with a whisk. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick. Add salt to taste. Put the baked garlic through a food mill or potato ricer to extract as much pulp as possible from the solids. Add the roasted garlic to the cream sauce. Mix well. Add the yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add the gruyère, 1/2 cup of the Parmigiano, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Increase the oven to 450° F. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and beat to stiff peaks. Fold half of the whites into the cheese sauce with as few strokes as possible. Fold in the remaining whites. Pour the mixture onto a 12" oval ovenproof platter that has been generously buttered. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme. Bake on the top shelf of the oven until puffed.