2025 Oscars Tasting Menu: I’m Still Here

I’m Still Here was a great movie, and could be a contender for best film. This was based upon the life of a family impacted by the brutal methods of the Brazilian government during that country’s time of military dictatorship. I was hoping to make something delicious from South America. But, the matriarch of the family always made soufflé for gatherings in their home. Following the leftist kidnapping of the Swiss ambassador, someone uttered, perhaps jokingly, the soufflé would be made with Swiss Cheese. Fittingly, I made Alex Guarnaschelli’s gruyere soufflé. My only complaint here is that the sherry was really strong in the final product. I dialed it back a bit in the recipe below. Other than that, it’s the original as published in Food & Wine. 

Best-ever Cheese Soufflé from Food & Wine, Alex Guarnaschelli

• 3 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp at room temp to grease casserole dish

• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese + 2 tbps for dusting the casserole dish

• 3 tbsp AP flour

• 1.25 cups heavy cream

• ¼ tsp cream of tartar

• 4 eggs, separated + 3 egg whites

• 2 tbsp dry sherry

• 6 oz Gruyere cheese, grated

• 2 tbsp sour cream

• 1.25 tsp Kosher salt

• ½ tsp dry mustard

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

First, set the oven to 375. Measure out all of your ingredients and prep the cheese. 

Note: When separating the eggs, the whites can go directly into the bowl of a stand mixer. Keep the yolks separate in a small bowl.

Grease the casserole dish with the tbsp of butter, then dust with 2 tbsp of parmesan, rotating the casserole dish allowing the cheese to tumble around and coat the bottom and sides.

Melt 3 tbsp butter in a pan, set over medium-high heat. Then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon, forming a paste.

Whisk in the heavy cream, lowering the heat to medium. Once the flour is fully incorporated, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, whisking constantly. 

Then transfer the thick roux to a large bowl and let it cool for a few minutes.

While the roux cools, add the cream of tartar to the bowl of egg whites and secure in the stand mixer, fitted with a whisk. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Reserve.

Then, add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl of cooled roux and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated. 

Fold in ⅓ of the egg whites into the soufflé, until no white streaks are left. Repeat the folding process with the remaining whipped egg whites just until no white streaks remain. 

Pour into the prepared casserole dish and wipe away any excess cheese or other crumbs from the rim and inside the dish. 

Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and puffed-up.

Serve right away. 

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