Savory Soufflés

Other than sweet soufflés, which have their own charm, the best of all savory soufflés is the classic cheese soufflé made with good Gruyère cheese or something else sharp and well aged, such as Roquefort. Cooks are often frightened by the thought of making soufflés, because if they are overcooked, they fall within seconds of being removed from the oven. But they are less sensitive than usually thought. To judge their doneness, you have to move the dish back and forth in the oven, watching the motion of the soufflé, and then divine, by the subtleties of the movement, the consistency of the interior. This can be done but is hard to describe. Undercooked soufflés are amazingly forgiving. You can proudly bring one to the table, cut into it, find it underdone and runny on the inside, and just stick it back in the oven without it falling.