Crab Soufflé

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup finely diced leek, white part only

1/4 cup finely diced celery

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

1 cup milk

2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter

3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

5 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon fine lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon tarragon finely chopped

1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

5 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

12 to 16 ounces shredded crab meat

Preparation:

Place leeks and celery in a medium sauce pot along with 3/4 cup water, vinegar, salt and pepper.   Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cover the pot and cook vegetables for 10 minutes.  Remove cover, raise heat and allow water around vegetables to evaporate.  Add milk to vegetables and bring back to a simmer.  Transfer vegetables and milk to a blender jar and purée.  Set aside.

Rinse out sauce pot to make béchamel.  Melt butter in pot over medium heat.  Add flour and Old Bay Seasoning, and stir until all flour is completely coated with butter.  Slowly whisk in puréed vegetables.  Continue to whisk over medium heat until thick, 3 to 5 minutes.  Transfer béchamel into large bowl.

Slowly whisk a cup of hot béchamel into egg yolks to temper. Whisk yolk mixture back into béchamel.  Gently fold in crab, zest, cayenne, tarragon, and chives.

In a standing mixer with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar to firm but not stiff peaks.  Quickly and gently, fold half the whites into crab mixture to lighten.  Working quickly, fold in remaining egg whites to keep the soufflé light.  Fill ramekins to the top, leveling off with a spatula.  Place ramekins on baking sheet.  Run your thumb around inside rim to teach the soufflés where to rise.  Bake soufflés for 10 to 12 minutes on middle rack of oven until they are set on the outside ring and soft in the center.  Serve immediately.

History:

Recipe comes from Chef Tech Cooking School in Long Beach, California.