4 x 10-12 cm closed Swiss brown
50g very soft butter
splash EV olive oil
120g small Swiss brown, finely sliced
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
10g fresh porcini or chantrelles
10g trompetta
320g Egg Enriched BŽchamel
10g Poddi Tartufi truffle paste
300g egg white, at room temperature
10ml fresh strained lemon juice
40g finely grated pecorino parmesan mix
12 slices of fresh truffle Ð optional
for the salad garnish Ð see tip 1.
12 leaves of witlof
12 leaves of treviso
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
essential equipment Ð see tip 2. if you want to make a simpler soufflŽ
1 x 9 cutter
4 x 9 cm rings
baking paper

Trim the large mushrooms, remove the stalks, and cut a slice from the top so they will sit straight on a dish. Use the cutter to cut the edges cleanly. Chop the trim and add it to the sliced Swiss browns. Cut four strips of baking paper 12 cm high and long enough to wrap the mushrooms with a 5 cm overlap. Spread the edges of the mushrooms with the soft butter. Very tightly collar the mushrooms. Use a smear of the soufflŽ base to seal the collars and drop a ring over each collar and place them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.

Pre heat oven to 180¼C
SautŽ the mushroom scraps and Swiss browns in a splash of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, then add then porcini/chantrelles and trompetta, toss over for a minute and then turn off of the heat. When they are cooled tip them into the bŽchamel, add the truffle paste and mix together.
There are a number of reasons why soufflŽs fail but over beating the egg whites is the main reason why they will fail to rise. Add beating the egg whites until they are dry and crumbly and the soufflŽ will never have the lovely creamy texture it is supposed to have. The great Australian chef Cheong Liew unravelled the mystery for us years ago with this simple explanation. ÒYou have to leave enough elasticity in the egg whites that they will still expand. Just like a balloon there has to be room for more air as the heat is applied the eggs will expand.Ó Get it through your head and youÕve got the soufflŽ.

Put the collared mushrooms into the oven. Put one third of the egg white into the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat at high speed. As soon as the egg white foams add half of the lemon juice and keep beating the egg white until you have soft peaks. Using a clean spatula, scrape the egg white into the base. Add the remaining egg white and lemon juice and whisk until you have soft peaks but just slightly stiffer than the first batch. While this is happening mix the egg white into to base. Working more carefully, fold the second batch of egg white and when completely incorporated (and without delay) bring the collared mushrooms from the oven and quickly divide the soufflŽ mix between them and return it to the oven. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and if you are using the fresh truffle drop the slices onto the tops of the soufflŽs and return them to the oven as quickly as possible.
Cook for approximately 20 minutes until they are well risen. In the last 10 minutes prepare the salad garnish and arrange on the plates.
Slide the tray with the soufflŽs to the front of the oven and using a dry cloth quickly and very carefully remove the rings. Gently break open the collars and lift a soufflŽ onto each plate and serve immediately.

The soufflŽ is quite rich so the salad garnish should help bring the dish into balance and some bitterness in combination with your best EV olive oil and some very good balsamic is just the way to do it.
Want to avoid all of the degree of difficulty use a soufflŽ dish and donÕt worry about the big mushroom. We prefer the shallower wider dish as they make it easier to avoid dry edges and under cooked centres. 11.5 cm diam x 5 cm give us the best results.