Chef John's Asparagus Souffle

By joanmarie

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup grated sharp white Cheddar cheese

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 50mins
Adapted from allrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cook asparagus in a saucepan of boiling water until bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer asparagus to ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and stir until mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Whisk milk into butter-flour mixture; bring to a simmer and cook until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper.
Place milk mixture, garlic, and asparagus in a blender and puree until smooth.
Pour asparagus mixture into a large bowl; stir in egg yolks and Cheddar cheese.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
Generously butter 4 (6-ounce) ramekins
Beat egg whites in a large glass or metal mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form soft mounds rather than a sharp peak
Stir half of egg whites into asparagus cheese mixture until just combined. Gently fold remaining egg whites into mixture.
Fill prepared ramekins about 3/4 full and place on a baking sheet; bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes