Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Soufflé Base
- 830 g leeks, thinly sliced
- 125 g unsalted butter, divided
- 25 g all-purpose flour
- 240 ml whole milk
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 6 eggs, separated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 453 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 260 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 289 mg
- Potassium
- 466 mg
- Calcium
- 311 mg
- Iron
- 4.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 64 mg
- Phosphorus
- 298 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 448 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 80 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.47 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 147 mcg
- Water
- 233 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Melt 100g of butter in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the sliced leeks for 10 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Season with salt.
In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 25g of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture until smooth. Bring to a boil and stir until the sauce thickens.
Continue cooking the thickened sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
Combine the cooked leeks and the sauce in a blender. Process until the mixture is completely smooth.
Stir the grated parmesan and egg yolks into the purée one at a time. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the roasting pan on the middle rack and boil water in a kettle.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Apply a light layer of butter to the interior of the soufflé mold.
Gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the leek base to lighten it. Carefully fold in the remaining whites until just combined.
Pour the batter into the mold and place the mold inside the roasting pan. Fill the pan with boiling water until it reaches two-thirds up the sides of the mold.
Cover the mold loosely with foil. Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 90 minutes. Remove the foil if the soufflé rises to touch it.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- This dish is more stable than a traditional soufflé due to the vegetable purée, making it suitable for gentle reheating.
Storage
Refrigerator: 72 hours — Store in an airtight container; texture will become denser upon cooling.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a 150°C (300°F) oven until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Soufflé is dense or fails to rise
Cause: Egg whites were deflated during folding or were not beaten to stiff peaks.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked.
Prevention: Ensure the bowl is grease-free before beating whites and use a gentle lifting motion when folding.
Cultural Context
The soufflé, a quintessential French dish, dates back to the 18th century. Originally a sweet dessert, savory variations like this leek soufflé pudding became popular for their elegant presentation and delicate texture, often served as a light entrée or part of a larger meal.
