The sweet, nutty and savory nature of this appetizer is what makes it stand out. The moment I tasted the acorn flour, I thought the slight nuttiness might be perfect in a soufflé. The stewed madrone berries provide a slight bitter note to this dish and the sweetness of the honey accents the berries. The blue cheese provides saltiness and the acorn bourbon adds a luscious layer, completing this dish.
Note: Preheat your oven to 400F well ahead of time as its important to have even heat when baking soufflé.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Stewed Madrone Berries (make in advance)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup madrone berries, washed
Madrone Tea (make in advance)
- 2 cups water
- 1 handful madrone bark, crushed
Acorn Bourbon Cream
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 ounce acorn bourbon
To Prepare Soufflé Ramekin
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 tablespoons acorn flour
- 4 tsp acorn nibs
- 4 tsp blue cheese
Soufflé Batter
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup madrone tea, make in advance
- 3 ounces blue cheese
- 4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
- 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour for egg whites
- Pinch of Salt
4 tablespoons honey
Directions
For Stewed Madrone Berries: Combine sugar and water in a small pot. Add madrone berries and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the berries soften. Remove from pot and set aside for future use.
For Madrone Tea: Bring water to a boil, pour over madrone bark. Let steep for minimum of 20 minutes. Filter liquid from the bark.
For Ramekins: Using a brush, spread melted butter evenly on the inside of the ramequins. Spread 1 tablespoon of acorn flour in each ramequin by tilting and rolling until evenly coated. Place a teaspoon of acorn nibs and blue cheese directly in the bottom of each cup and set aside for future use.
For Soufflé Batter: Combine butter and flour in a medium sized pot and cook over low heat stirring consistently until smooth. Add the madrone tea and bring to a boil while whisking continually. Once thick remove from heat, add blue cheese and whisk until smooth. Add egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Set aside while doing next step.
In a separate bowl whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Sift in a tablespoon of flour and whisk for 10 seconds more or until smooth. Using a spatula fold the egg whites into the egg yolk and cheese mixture until evenly distributed. Do not overmix. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared ramequins, leaving ¼ inch of the cup showing at the top.
Place filled ramekins in a shallow baking pan and add enough water to fill the bottom of the pan. Bake at 400F, until the soufflé has crowned (approximately 15-20 minutes) and they are golden brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately with a dollop of acorn bourbon cream and a spoonful of stewed madrone berries.