LEEK AND CHEDDAR SOUFFLÉ 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 leeks chopped 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons plain flour 1 1/4 cups milk warmed 3/4 cup grated aged cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon lemon thyme leaves Cracked black pepper 3 egg yolks 4 egg whites 1 1/2 cups cream Heat olive oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook for 6 minutes or until golden. Set aside.

Place butter in a saucepan over medium heat and melt. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk milk into flour mixture and then stir until mixture has boiled and thickened. Remove mixture from heat and stir through cheddar, thyme, pepper, leeks and egg yolks.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites through cheese mixture and spoon into six 1-cup capacity greased soufflé ramekins. Place ramekins in a baking dish and fill dish with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until soufflés are puffed and set. Remove baking dish from oven and allow soufflés to fall and cool slightly. 

To serve, invert soufflés onto deep serving dishes and coat each with cream. Return to oven and bake for a further 15 minutes or until soufflés are puffed and golden. Serve with a rocket (arugula) salad. 

Serves 6.

[The New Cook, Donna Hay]