Cloud Nine in Pig Time
Bacon-Infused Egg Soufflé with Crispy Bacon and Rendered Bacon Fat
35 minutes
Serves 4
BreakfastFrench
Herb's take
Classic French technique gets an unapologetically savory breakfast upgrade here: the egg soufflé, light as air, meets smoky bacon in both fat and crisp. You’ll learn why stiff peaks matter and how to wield bacon fat like a flavor-laden scalpel.
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Preheat your oven to 375°F. Generously butter a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish or four 8-ounce ramekins, then dust with a little grated Parmesan to help the soufflé climb.
- 02In a cold skillet, add chopped bacon and cook over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat; discard the rest.
- 03Melt 1 tablespoon butter with the 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until bubbling but not browned.
- 04Gradually whisk in the milk, continuing to cook until the mixture thickens and is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- 05Whisk the egg yolks into the béchamel one at a time, then stir in the Parmesan, chives, crisp bacon, salt, and pepper. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- 06In a clean mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
- 07Gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites just until no streaks remain.
- 08Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish or ramekins, smoothing the top. Run your thumb around the inside edge for a higher rise.
- 09Bake on a lower oven rack for 22-25 minutes, or until puffed and deeply golden but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- 10Serve immediately, garnished with extra chives if desired.
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