Cheese souffle

Cheese souffle Method 1. Butter the inside of a 13cm round soufflé dish with soft (not melted) butter. Dust with grated parmesan so it is well coated and chill in the fridge.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook over a low heat, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the milk, beating between each addition. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often until it is thick and smooth.

Cool the mixture a little before stirring in the grated cheeses. Season with paprika, nutmeg, salt and pepper. You want it to be intensely flavoured as the taste will be diluted by the eggs. Stir in the egg yolks and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Add a third of the whites to the cheese sauce, beating well to slacken the mixture. Gently fold in the remaining egg white - be careful not to loose the air you have beaten into them.

Fill the soufflé dish three quarters full with the mixture. Run your thumb around the edge to create a groove (this will help it rise above the rim of the dish). Put it into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 190C/gas 5.

Bake for 30 minutes, until risen and golden with a soft, yielding centre. Serve immediately, perhaps with a dressed green salad and some crusty bread.