Cheese Soufflé

Directions

1. 1
   Coat interior of a 10- to 11-cup souffle dish with 1 1/2 teaspoons butter. Add parmesan cheese; tilt dish to coat.
2. 2
   Separate eggs; put yolks in a small bowl and all whites in a large mixer bowl. Add cream of tartar to whites.
3. 3
   Melt remaining butter in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until bubbling.
4. 4
   Remove from heat. Whisk milk into the mixture. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and ground nutmeg. Return to high heat and stir until mixture boils, about 2 minutes; sauce will be very thick. Set aside about 2 tablespoons gruyere cheese, then add remainder to sauce and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Dump in egg yolks and mix well.
5. 5
   With a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites just until they hold soft but distinct peaks. Put a big spoonful of whites into the sauce and mix well.
6. 6
   Scrape sauce into whites, and with a flexible spatula, fold ingredients together; the mixture can look streaky.
7. 7
   Scrape mixture into souffle dish. With the tip of the spatula, draw a circle on top of the souffle, then sprinkle with reserved gruyere cheese.
8. 8
   Set on the center rack of a 400° oven. Bake until browned and center jiggles slightly when dish is gently shaken (for a saucy souffle), about 25 minutes, or for a drier souffle, about 10 minutes more. Serve at once.