Lunch: The Loftiest Soufflé

Recipe by /contributors/michael-richard Here's a soufflé that can stand up for itself. Michel Richard, of Citronelle in Washington, D.C., ignores tales about soufflés that collapse when the oven is opened (a myth). Instead, he focuses on what matters: a

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more, room temperature, for ramekins
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup cold whole milk
1 cup grated Gruyère, divided
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
Special equipment: Four 8-ounce ramekins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Brush ramekins with butter and place on a foil-lined baking sheet; sprinkle ramekins with 2 tablespoons Parmesan (total). Chill for 20 minutes or, covered, up to 1 day.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; whisk constantly for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk; increase heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Add remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan and 1/2 cup Gruyère; stir until melted. Add nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Transfer béchamel to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap; set aside.
Place egg whites in a large bowl. Stir in a pinch of salt and xanthan gum, if using. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until firm but not stiff, 3-4 minutes.
Stir egg yolks into béchamel. Gently stir in 1/4 of beaten egg whites to loosen béchamel base, then gently fold in remaining egg whites just to combine, taking care not to deflate.
Divide mixture among ramekins; sprinkle with 1/2 cup Gruyère. Run your finger around inside lip of ramekins, cleaning edges. Bake until soufflés rise, centers are set, and cheese is golden brown, 18-22 minutes. Serve immediately.