Some side dishes quietly sit there. This one shows up. It comes out of the oven puffed, golden, and airy, with a soft savory middle that tastes a little like potato and cauliflower and made something better together.
If you have trouble to find Jerusalem artichoke before, you may also find it sold as sunchoke - a knobby little root vegetable with an earthy, slightly nutty flavor. It's not complicated to work with, and it does something really nice in a warm bake like this.
Jerusalem Artichoke Cheese Soufflé
I started making this when I wanted something that felt a bit festive without turning dinner into a project. The steps are straightforward - cook the artichokes, make a quick roux, fold in whipped egg whites - and the result looks terrific.
I love to serve this with the holidays, because it's quite an easy recipe to prepare and everybody just loves it.
What you need
- Jerusalem artichokes: (or sun choke) the base of the soufflé. Earthy and slightly nutty, they mash into a smooth, flavorful purée that holds up well in a baked custard. No sunchoke? Parsnip or cauliflower both work well as a swap.
- Butter: used three ways: to cook the Jerusalem artichokes, to build the roux, and to grease the dishes.
- Flour and cold milk: together they make the roux that gives the soufflé its body. Cold milk goes in all at once and keeps the sauce smooth.
- Eggs: the yolks go into the base for richness; the whites get whipped separately and folded in for the lift.
- Parmesan or aged cheese: adds salt, depth, and a little sharpness.
- Nutmeg, salt, and black pepper: small additions that round out the flavor. Freshly grated nutmeg makes a real difference here.
How to make it
- Step 1: Heat the oven to 390°F and butter the soufflé dishes. Peel the Jerusalem artichokes, cut them into small cubes, and separate the eggs. Cook the artichokes with part of the butter and the water until tender. Let the liquid evaporate, brown them briefly, then mash with a fork.
- Step 2: Make a quick roux with the remaining butter and flour, then whisk in the cold milk until thickened. Stir in the mashed artichokes, egg yolks, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Step 3: Whip the egg whites until stiff in a completely grease-free bowl. Fold them gently into the artichoke mixture in two additions.
- Step 4: Spoon into the buttered dishes, and bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven. Serve right away.
Top Tips
- Keep the oven door closed the entire time, even a quick peek can make them sink.
- Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely grease-free before whipping the egg whites. Any fat left behind will prevent them from stiffening properly.
- Have your table ready before the soufflés come out. They won't wait long.
Serve it with
This works well alongside roast chicken, steak, or pork tenderloin.
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Ingredients
- 14 oz. Jerusalem artichokes
- 4 tablespoons butter, + extra for buttering the baking forms
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup whole milk, cold
- 4 egg yolks, size L
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, or aged cheese, grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, fresh
- 4 egg whites, size L
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390°F. Butter 4 soufflé dishes or ramekins well.
- Peel and dice the Jerusalem artichokes into ½ x ½ inch size (1 x 1 cm).14 oz. Jerusalem artichokes
- Melt butter in a skillet. Add the water and diced artichokes and simmer over medium heat until the water evaporates and the artichokes are tender. Add a splash more water if needed.2 tablespoons butter, ⅓ cup water
- Brown briefly, then mash with a fork.
- In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter.2 tablespoons butter
- Add the flour all at once and stir for 2 minutes without browning.2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Whisk in the cold milk in one go until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat.⅔ cup whole milk
- Stir in the mashed artichokes, egg yolks, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.4 egg yolks, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a very clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.4 egg whites, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Fold one-quarter into the artichoke mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest.
- Spoon into the prepared dishes and bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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