Blue Cheese Souffles

Butter individual 1-cup souffle dishes or one large souffle dish. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the 2 1/2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan until it foams. Add flour and stir with a whisk over medium heat for 2 minutes. Do not allow mixture to brown.

Remove from heat and add the hot milk all at once, whisking vigorously until smooth. Add salt and pepper. Return to heat and boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Separate eggs one at a time, dropping whites into a clean mixer bowl and yolks into the cream sauce, whisking rapidly to incorporate each yolk. Stir in crumbled blue cheese. Set aside.

Add an extra egg white to the mixer bowl. Add a pinch of salt and beat on medium speed until frothy. Gradually increase speed to high and beat until stiff but not dry.

Fold a big spoonful of the egg whites into the blue cheese sauce to lighten the sauce. Pile remaining egg whites on top and fold in gently but rapidly with a rubber spatula, taking care not to over-mix.

Spoon into the souffle dishes or dish. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes for individual souffles and 30 to 35 minutes for a single 6-cup souffle. The souffles should be puffed and light brown on top, and no longer look moist.

Serve immediately.