The Truth About Soufflés

The method for making almost all main-course soufflés is approximately the same, and anyone who learns the technique can vary the soufflé at will. The basis for these soufflés is a simple white sauce to which a solid of some sort is added. The solid may be a seafood (such as flaked crab or chopped shrimp) or a cheese or, as in one of the recipes that follows, mushrooms. To this egg yolks are added. They are cooked briefly without boiling. These eggs yolks, as always, tend to thicken a sauce. Remember, too much heat may curdle the yolks.