Baked Cheddar Cheese and Chive Soufflé

Makes 4-6

6 eggs - separated   
75g butter
75g flour
1 Spanish onion - roughly chopped
450ml milk
250g strong Cheddar cheese
1 bay leaf
1 clove
100g Chives
300g Parmesan
500ml double cream

Bring the milk, onion, bay leaf & clove to boil and remove from heat. Leave to stand whilst you gather your ingredients. Pass milk through a sieve, and add 1 bunch of roughly chopped chives, blitz until intense green colour. Pass the mixture through the sieve again.

Slowly start to add the milk to your roux to make a (green) white sauce. Add grated Cheddar cheese to your sauce, turn down heat and cook-out the sauce for 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, before adding 6 egg yolks, check seasoning.

Whisk the 6 egg whites and carefully fold into the mix.

Line ramekin dishes with butter, refrigerate, then add another layer of butter and a layer of grated Parmesan. Pour sauce into pre-lined ramekin dishes.

1. Cook in oven 120 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes in a bain marie
2. Refrigerate
3. Cook in oven 180 degrees for 6 minutes.

To make Parmesan cream, bring 500ml double cream to the boil, reduce for 2 minutes. Whisk in 200g of parmesan and season.

Finish the soufflés with parmesan cream, grated parmesan over the top and glaze under the grill.

This recipe was kindly submitted by The Punch Bowl Inn, Cumbria