Vidalia Sweet Onion and Crab Souffle

With 20 pounds of vidalia onions I had to find recipes to use them. This recipe is by Executive Chef Jeffrey Buben, Vidalia Restaurant and Bistro Bis, Washington D.C.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

•  butter, and
•  flour, for souffle mold
• 5  tablespoons butter, divided
• 3⁄4 cup  minced  vidalia onion
• 1  cup lump crabmeat
• 2  tablespoons  minced chives
•  salt
•  white pepper
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1  cup milk
• 1  pinch cayenne pepper
• 1  pinch  freshly grated nutmeg
• 4  egg yolks
• 5  egg whites
• 1⁄2 cup  grated swiss cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter a 6-cup souffle mold or four 1-cup molds and lightly dust with flour.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saute pan.
4. Add Vidalia onion and cook 2 minutes.
5. Add crabmeat and heat.
6. Add chives and a pinch each of salt and white pepper then set aside.
7. Melt remaining butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
8. Whisk in 3 tablespoons flour and cook over medium heat, about 2 minutes.
9. Remove from heat.
10. In glass measuring cup, heat milk for 2 minutes in a microwave.
11. Pour hot milk into flour mixture and stir with a wire whisk until smooth.
12. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon white pepper, cayenne and nutmeg.
13. Return to heat and whisk until thickened, about 1 minute.
14. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks, one at a time.
15. Stir in crab mixture, add salt and pepper to taste.
16. Set aside.
17. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry.
18. Gently stir half the egg white mixture into crab mixture.
19. Stir in the cheese.
20. Fold in remaining egg whites.
21. Pour mixture into prepared mold.
22. Set on middle rack in oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until souffle is golden.
23. Individual souffles will bake in 25 to 30 minutes.
24. Serve immediately.