HOW TO COOK EGGS-TATICALLY | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

PERFECT PEAKS

ROASTED GARLIC-AND-ROSEMARY SOUFFLÉ For most soufflés, you'll want soft peaks - the stage just before stiff peaks form. To know if you have soft peaks, lift the beaters out of the egg mixture; the peaks should curve over gently, like waves. You create a puffed soufflé by beating egg whites separately and then folding them into the base that has been thickened with the yolks.

DOUBLE-VANILLA MERINGUE COOKIES Beat room-temperature egg whites with cream of tartar (which helps stabilize them) and salt until foamy. Then add the sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. You can tell if you have stiff peaks versus soft peaks by lifting the beaters from the mixture. Stiff peaks will stand up.

MOCHA MOUSSE You don't ever want overbeaten egg whites, particularly not in a mousse, as they won't fold in smoothly. Watch carefully, because egg whites can go from stiff to dry and overbeaten in as little as 30 seconds.

In this recipe, the eggs do double duty - the whites inflate the soufflé, and the yolks thicken the sauce that forms the base. Serve with pork, lamb, chicken, or beef.

1 whole garlic head
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fat-free milk
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap garlic head in foil. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves, and squeeze to extract the garlic pulp. Discard the skins.

Coat a 1-quart soufflé dish with cooking spray; sprinkle bottom of dish with breadcrumbs.

Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Spoon the flour and salt into a large saucepan, and gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook milk mixture over medium heat until thick (about 6 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in the garlic pulp, cheese, rosemary, and egg yolks.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed of a mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of the egg white mixture into garlic mixture; gently fold in the remaining egg white mixture. Spoon into prepared soufflé dish. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes or until puffy and set.

6 servings.

TIPS: To get a jump on this soufflé, you can roast the garlic up to 2 days ahead. Then extract the pulp, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Calories: 262 (29% from fat); Fat: 8.4g; Protein 11.7g; Carbohydrates 35.3g; Fiber 2.4g; Cholesterol 72mg; Iron 2.5mg; Sodium 713mg; Calcium 188mg.

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