The recipe



Lightly butter the inside of a deep soufflé or similar dish, measuring 18-20cm across the top, then scatter in 2 tbsp of grated parmesan, shaking the dish to make sure the cheese sticks to the butter.

Put a baking sheet in the oven and set it at 200C/gas mark 6. Bring 300ml of milk to the boil in a small pan together with a bay leaf and half a small onion. Turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes.

Melt 50g of butter in a small, heavy-based saucepan, stir in 55g of plain flour and leave over the heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring almost continuously. Chuck the bay and onion at this point. Stir in the warm milk, gradually at first, then a little faster, until you have a thick sauce. Let it come to an enthusiastic bubble, then lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time, until it is thick and smooth. If your sauce looks lumpy, then whisk fiercely until it is smooth and thick.

Remove from the heat, cool briefly, then stir or whisk in 4 large, beaten egg yolks. Stir in 100g of cheddar, coarsely grated, and 2 tbsp of chopped tarragon.

In a big bowl and using a large balloon whisk, beat 4 egg whites until stiff and frothy. Fold them into the cheese sauce, then scrape into the buttered dish. Smooth the top lightly, scatter with 1 tbsp of parmesan, then place on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Push the dish firmly with your oven glove: the contents should shudder, but not wobble violently. The crust should be pale to mid-brown, the centre soft and oozing. Serve immediately. Serves 2.

The trick

Allow the flour-milk base to cool a little before adding the yolks, then fold them in quickly. I add a bit of the cheese sauce to the egg whites, mix it in, then add the remaining sauce, mixing firmly but tenderly with a large metal spoon. Once cooked, if the middle is too liquid, put the pudding back in the oven. It will still rise.

The twist

Chopped lemon thyme is delightful instead of tarragon. Swap cheeses to suit what you have, but make sure they are deeply flavoured farmhouse cheeses.

Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter@NigelSlater



