This happy marriage of green chile to a souffle was engineered by Edna
Turner of Santa Fe.
5 egg whites
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup hot milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
Dash cayenne
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 egg yolks
Pinch salt
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ to ½ cup chopped green chile
Place egg whites in a 4-quart bowl and let stand at room temperature 1
hour. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter 1½-quart souffle dish
generously. Sprinkle bottom and sides evenly with Parmesan cheese. Melt
3 tablespoons butter over low heat in heavy saucepan. Add flour and stir
with wire whisk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture
foams and bubbles. Remove from heat, add milk, and beat until smooth.
Beat in salt, mustard, cayenne and Worcestershire. Return to heat and
cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until mixture is quite thick. Remove
from heat and add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each
addition. Pour this mixture into a large bowl. Beat egg whites with a
pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Add 1 large spoonful to the egg
yolk mixture and blend. Add all but 1 tablespoon of the cheese and the
chopped chiles (frozen, fresh or canned) to the egg yolk mixture and
blend well. Spoon remaining egg whites on top and fold in with a rubber
spatula. Pour into souffle dish and smooth with spatula. Sprinkle
remaining cheese on top. Run a silver knife in a circle about 1 inch
from the edge of dish. (This will enable the crown or “hat” to form when
done.) Place in center of oven and reduce to 375 degrees F. Bake 34-40
minutes, or until knife inserted in the side comes out clean. Serve
immediately.