Individual Cheese Soufflés with Tarragon Cream Sauce

6-8 portions
Butter ramekins or coffee cups-about 8 ounce cups
5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup cold milk
3 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1/2 cup good Swiss cheese, grated
Salt
black pepper, freshly ground
Nutmeg, freshly grated (it does taste better)

Heavily butter the ramekins and chill until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 375.
Make the bouillie: Put the flour in a saucepan, and very gradually add the cold milk, a little at a time, stirring with a whisk to make a smooth paste. Pour in the remaining milk and stir thoroughly. Add a pinch of salt and season highly with the pepper and nutmeg. Set over medium heat, and stir continuously for several minutes until  the mixture is quite smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and continue to stir for a few seconds to cool the bouillie slightly. Set aside. Separate the eggs, dropping the whites into a mixing bowl and three of the yolks, one by one, into the warm bouillie, stirring each yolk thoroughly before adding the next. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff but not dry. If the bouillie has cooled, return to heat, it should be warmed only enough so you can still put your finger into it. Then fold the beaten whites in, gradually sprinkling on the grated cheese at the same time. Fill the chilled cups 2/3 full. Set in a shallow pan and pour very hot water into the pan to come 2/3 up the sides of the cups. Put into oven very carefully, bake 12-15 minutes until they have risen a good 3/4" above the edges of the cups. They will deflate a little when you take them out of the oven. They can be unmolded on a buttered ovenproof dish and reheated for 10 minutes with the sauce or serve in the cups with the sauce separately with the soufflés.

Tarragon cream sauce
1-2 cups heavy cream
3-4 Tablespoons fresh tarragon minced
salt and pepper

Bring the cream to a boil with the tarragon and season, let it simmer for several minutes until it takes on the taste of the tarragon. Pour over the soufflés and return to oven for 10-12 minutes or until they swell and absorb almost all the cream.

Fine Dining in a Casual Atmosphere.
450 West Van Buren (Highway 62 West),
Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
479-253-5282

International wine list,
15 by the glass available.