Breakfast For Dinner Again

  I absolutely love having breakfast for dinner. I have more flexibility to experiment with new recipes when I serve them for dinner, because I don't have children complaining that they're "starving" like I do in the morning. Tonight I tried a slew of new recipes (I know, brave), one of which is something I've always wanted to try; souffle. Here's the low-down:

Crab Souffle  
(This is a recipe I adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe. See the original here.)

Grated Gruyere cheese

3/4-1 cup crab meat (about 3 1/2 ounces, finely chopped

1 tblsp. flat-leaf parsley, minced

 

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter

5 tblsp. all purpose flour

1/2 yellow onion, minced

1/8 tsp. (scant) cayenne pepper

1/4 c. dry white wine

1 1/4 c. whole milk

6 large egg yolks

1 tsp. salt

 

8 large egg whites

3/4 c. grated Gruyere cheese

  Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter one 10-cup soufflé dish or six 1 1/4-cup soufflé dishes; sprinkle with Gruyere cheese to coat. (If using 1 1/4-cup dishes, place all 6 on rimmed baking sheet.)

  Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, onion and cayenne; cook without browning until mixture begins to bubble, whisking constantly, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in wine, then milk. Cook until smooth, thick and beginning to boil, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes; remove from heat. Mix yolks and salt in bowl. Add yolk mixture all at once to sauce; whisk in quickly. Stir in crab and parsley.

  Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into lukewarm souffle base to lighten. Fold in 3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, then remaining whites. Transfer souffle mixture to prepared dish(es).

  Place souffle in oven. Bake souffle until puffed, golden and gently set in center, about 40 minutes for large souffle (or 25 minutes for small souffles)-DO NOT open oven door during first 20 minutes! Using oven mitts, transfer souffle to platter and serve immediately as the souffle will begin to deflate almost immediately.

 Potatoes O'Brien

Billionaire's Bacon

How did it all go over?

  I loved the souffle, but could tell my husband was not a fan (but he isn't a seafood guy), although he wouldn't say it out loud. 

  The potatoes seemed to be a bit of work for the result. I make roasted red potatoes that are much more simple, and taste a little better in my opinion.

  My husband's a huge bacon fan so I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately it fell a little flat. It was too sweet for both of us and chewy instead of crispy (which is how I like my bacon).

  Overall, one out of three for me. I will definitely make another souffle, just one without crab next time...maybe a dessert one.