Free French Classics Made Easy by Richard Grausman

become shiny and easier to stir.
    5. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the soufflé base to simmer while you stir in the mustard, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the cheese and mix well until it melts completely and the mixture comes to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cover.
    6. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
    7. Pour the warm soufflé base into a large bowl. With a whisk, fold in one-third of the beaten egg whites to lighten it. Some egg white will still be visible. With a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining egg whites. Stop folding as soon as the mixture is blended; a little egg white may still be visible.
    8. Pour the soufflé mixture into the prepared mold, leveling the surface with your spatula. If any of the batter touches the rim of the mold, run your thumb around the rim to clean it off. (You can prepare the soufflé ahead to this point; see “Preparing Soufflés for the Oven Ahead of Time,” page 264 .)
    9. Bake for 5 minutes. Lower the temperature to 425°F and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. The soufflé should rise 1½ to 2 inches above the mold and brown lightly on the top. Serve immediately.
     
S OUFFLE S AVOIR -F AIRE
The variety of soufflés that can be made is almost endless. But to be successful in creating your own variations, there are two important rules of thumb to keep in mind:
Any ingredient added to the soufflé base should be fully cooked or ready to eat, because the soufflé cooks so rapidly that there is not enough time for raw ingredients to cook.
Added ingredients should not contain excess moisture, since they will alter the soufflé’s consistency.
VARIATION
    G RUYERE S OUFFLE
    [SOUFFLÉ AU FROMAGE]
    Substitute 2 ounces grated (rounded ⅔ cup) Swiss-style cheese, such as Gruyère or Emmentaler, for the Roquefort. In step 5, when you add the cheese, be sure to return the soufflé base to a boil so the cheese loses its stringiness.
FISH MOUSSES
    There are two classic types of fish mousse. One type is made with cooked fish and served cold. If you have ever made a salmon mousse with mayonnaise, heavy cream, and gelatin, you are familiar with this style. Hot fish mousses, mousselines de poisson, are made differently.
    Classically, a mousseline de poisson was made by pounding uncooked fish in a large mortar with a pestle until the strands of muscle fiber were stretched and broken down to form a gummy, springy paste. Egg whites were then pounded into the fish paste. Once smooth, this paste was forced through a fine sieve, leaving any bones, tendons, or fibrous tissue behind. This refined fish paste was then chilled, and cream was added until it became the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes.
    Over the years, machines have been used to speed this lengthy process. The food processor’s metal blade is usually so efficient that it cuts fish, bones, tendons, and all so small that it is not necessary to put it through a sieve, making the whole process quick and easy.
    Although this way of making mousseline is much faster than the original method, the texture of the mousseline is not as smooth. To improve its texture, I use half fish and half shrimp. The shrimp pulverizes into a paste that, when poached, is very smooth. Blended with the fish, it produces a wonderful flavor and texture.
    The fish mousseline is technically designed as a hot dish—as in the recipes that follow—but it is also good served cold, although you would then serve it with a cold rather than a hot sauce.
    BASIC FISH MOUSSELINE
    [MOUSSELINE DE POISSON]
    One of the most sublime preparations to come out of the French kitchen is a well-made fish mousseline. Essentially a fish purée bound by egg whites and enriched by heavy cream, it can be poached, steamed, or baked. It can be used as a stuffing, as in Mousseline-Stuffed Trout with Two Sauces ( page 52 ); or baked in a mold and served with a sauce, as for Fish Mousseline with a Hidden Scallop ( page