Devilled Crab Soufflé

Serves: 3-4 - Time:

Devilled Crab Soufflé
Devilled Crab Soufflé Devilled Crab Soufflé

I make a lot of soufflés- more often than not to use up a surfeit of eggs and odd and ends of leftover cheese. I usually keep tins of crabmeat to throw into chowders and to add to fishcakes and here, to ring the changes, I’ve thrown them into this soufflé. I wouldn’t use fresh crabmeat in this instance but if you have a ready supply (and the cost doesn’t shock you) then why not. You could add fresh chilli and coriander if you want to ramp up the heat and take the soufflé on an oriental journey.

Ingredients

  • 45g butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
  • 45g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons English mustard powder
  • 400ml milk
  • 50g grated Parmesan
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste or essence
  • 12 shakes of Tabasco sauce
  • 2 x 145g crabmeat, drained
  • 5 medium eggs, separated 
Devilled Crab Soufflé

Method

  1. Generously grease a 1.5 litre soufflé dish with some butter. Melt the 45g of butter and add the spring onions. Stir over a low heat for five minutes until the onions are soft. Stir in the flour and mustard powder and cook for one minute. Gradually stir in the milk, and cook until the sauce is thick and smooth. Stir in the cheese, Dijon mustard, anchovy paste and Tabasco. When the cheese has melted take the pan off the heat. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes. Heat the oven to fan 190˚c, mark 6. Put a small roasting tin half full of boiling water in the bottom of the oven. This will create some steam to help the soufflé rise.
  2. Stir the crabmeat and egg yolks into the sauce and season with salt and ground black pepper. It should be highly seasoned as the egg whites will dilute the flavour. Whisk the egg whites to stiff but not dry peaks. Fold a spoonful of the whites into the sauce then swiftly fold in the remaining egg whites.
  3. Spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Put the dish on a baking tray and cook in the oven for about 25 minutes until the soufflé is risen, deep golden brown and has a bare wobble to it if shaken. Serve immediately.