Stilton Soufflé

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make a foil collar for a 4-cup soufflé dish to extend an inch above the rim. Grease inside of dish and foil with 1 tablespoon butter. Dust with bread crumbs.

2. Step 2

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Sauté celery until tender but not brown. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

3. Step 3

   In a small saucepan, heat the milk until steam rises. Whisk it into the celery and cook over medium heat until it becomes a thick sauce, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time.

4. Step 4

   In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Fold a spoonful of the whites into the sauce. Fold in the cheese, and then the remaining whites. Pour into the prepared dish, place in the oven, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the soufflé has risen, and the top is brown and wiggles a bit, about 35 minutes. Remove the collar and serve immediately. Serves 4. Recipes adapted from Florence Fabricant.