I love Crab Rangoons. What better way than to put those flavors into a light and fluffy soufflé? This recipe came to me as I was remembering a dear friend of mine, Ellyn. Ellyn and I worked together many years ago. She loved crab, so to pay homage to her and our longtime friendship, I came up with a twist on crab rangoons. This is my Crab Rangoon Soufflé. Thanks for all the great memories.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 to 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (8-cup) soufflé dish, 1 (10-cup) food processor, 1 rimmed baking sheet pan, 1 large mixing bowl, 1 medium-size mixing bowl, 1 (1-quart) saucepan, 1 (3-quart) saucepot, large whisk, rubber spatula, oven thermometer

Ingredients:
1 pound of crab meat, jumbo lump
6 tablespoons of butter, unsalted, reserve 3 tablespoons for greasing the dish
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, freshly-ground (using a food processor)
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 cup of milk, *scalded
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, freshly-ground
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 pinch of nutmeg, freshly-grated
4 extra-large egg yolks, room temperature
5 extra-large egg whites, room temperature
5 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
4 tablespoons of fresh chives, finely minced

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Prepare the soufflé dish with butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Make sure the entire inside surface is coated. Shake off any excess.

Prepare the lump crab by checking for any shells. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Pat the lump crab dry with another piece of paper towel, making sure it is completely dry before transferring to a medium-sized mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan, add milk over medium heat. Once the milk reaches the scalding point, turn off the heat. 

In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add all-purpose flour, whisking constantly for about a minute, to form a *roux. Once the mixture has reached a thick, blonde color (refer to picture above), remove the pan from the heat. Add the freshly grated nutmeg, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper, and whisk to combine.

Return the pan to the heat, and add the *scalded milk, whisking continuously. Turn the heat up to medium. When the sauce starts to boil, it’s at its thickest consistency. You can test it by placing a wooden spoon into the mixture. When you pull the spoon out and swipe your finger down the back of the spoon, if the sauce remains separated, it’s ready. Turn off the heat.

Transfer the pot to a cutting board, while the mixture is still hot, vigorously whisk in the egg yolks one at a time until all are incorporated. Switch to a rubber spatula, add the cream cheese, gently smashing it and mixing until it’s incorporated throughout. After mixing, if there are a few bigger pieces, that’s fine.

Next, add the jumbo lump crab and stir through.

Immediately before placing a soufflé into the oven, adjust the temperature to 375°F.

Place the egg whites into a large clean/dry mixing bowl. Add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. Using a large whisk, beat the egg whites until they form firm, shiny peaks. This will take a few minutes. You could do this in an electric mixer. Gently stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the prepared soufflé mixture. The mixture will look slightly lighter. Very gently, fold in the remaining whites. Pour the completed mixture into the prepared soufflé dish. Without peeking, bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffy and golden brown.

There you have it, my Crab Rangoon Soufflé.

I like to serve my Crab Rangoon Soufflé with a simple salad of mixed greens, lightly dressed with my Lemon Vinaigrette, and topped with Parmesan cheese shavings.

Notes:
1) *Scalded Milk is milk heated to a near boil. Small bubbles will appear around the inner rim of the pot.

2) *Roux is a mixture of fat (especially butter) and flour used in making sauces.

3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2013/10/29/my-recipe-for-crab-rangoon-dip-with-won-ton-chips/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/10/17/lemon-balsamic-and-cilantro-lime-vinaigrette/