Cheese Souffle

Directions

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   1.
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   The onion should be studded with the bay leaf and the 3 cloves (use the 3 cloves to nail the bay leaf to the outside surface of the half onion see related blog post for a visual).
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   Brown the onion in butter and once the edges of the onion start to nicely brown, pour in the milk.
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   Bring to a simmer and turn off heat to let it infuse.
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   2.
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   With a pastry brush, coat the inside of a souffle dish with melted butter, bread crumbs and about 1 tablespoon of the cheese and place in the refrigerator.
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   3.
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   Sweat the shallots in some butter then once they are translucent, pour in the vermouth and let them simmer.
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   4.
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    Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
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    Set aside.
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    5.
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    Make a roux by melting 3 Tablespoons of butter and adding the flour, whisking constantly until bubbles form.
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    6.
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    Whisk in the infused milk (take out the onion first), then add the shallot/vermouth mixture.
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    Add the nutmeg and whisk over low heat until it thickens.
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    7.
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    Beat the egg yolks and incorporate them into the roux along with cayenne.
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    8.
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    Pour in the remaining cheese and stir, then fold in the egg whites gently until mixture is uniform.
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    9.
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    Pour the mixture into the souffle dish and cook in the oven at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until brown on top and well raised above the dish.
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    Dont open the oven until 20 minutes into cook time have passed.
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    10.
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    Serve immediately before it collapses!