Grilled Potato Souffle'

That's my souffle, up there in the corner... Really it is a souffle -


See...

Weather finally broke last week (just a trick though as we had 3 inches of snow the next day) with temperatures reaching the 70's!!!


So, Hi Ho Hi Ho, it's off to the grill I go...

A couple of nice thick rib eye's.  Just salt and pepper each side as seasoning (First grilling session in months, demands old school simplicity).  High heat, get the grill HOT HOT HOT... Rub the grill with a paper towel that has been soaked in Canola Oil (High burn temperature... much higher than Olive Oil).  Use your tongs to hold the paper towel so you don't burn yourself.  And then give it another few minutes so you are sure the grill is HOT HOT HOT.


Plop your steaks on for two minutes... Do not try to lift them.  They stick, but at the end of 2 minutes, they will lift easily.  After 2 minutes, lift them and make a 90 degree turn to get those diamond grill marks... 


OOOHHH AAAAHHHH Pretty


Flip them over and repeat on the other side.


That silver stick in the side of the steak is my remote prob thermometer.  Steaks are expensive and SOOOO GOOD when cooked to proper temperature.  Don't over cook them, don't guess, use technology and cook to an internal temperature to 135 degrees and NO more (a perfect medium rare).

OH, but wait... this post is supposed to be about a souffle'.  And a grilled souffle' at that.


Here's what I did...


First, Thanks to Miriam at THE WINTER GUEST.  Mirriam adapted this recipe and posted her version on her blog (cooked in an oven if you are not grilling yet).  Take a look at her beautiful photos and the original recipe by clicking HERE.


Of course I made a few changes.  Miriam is in Spain, there were a couple of ingredients that I did not have here in Kansas.

4 medium sized starchy potatoes
4 eggs
1 cup Swiss Cheese (grated)
2 TBS virgin olive oil for rubbing the potatoes
2 TBS butter
4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
More virgin olive oil for frying the garlic
Salt and pepper

This is a twice baked potato recipe (well, once microwaved and then grilled, but the idea is the same).

First I microwaved the potatoes as instructed on the front of the microwave (potatoes and popcorn... why those two??? But I digress...)

Once they cooled, I sliced the top off and scooped out the meat of the potato, being careful not to puncture the outside.  I was going to use the potato as the vessel for the souffle' to rise out of.

While the potatoes are cooling, smash and mince the garlic.  Saute in hot oil for a few minutes to just barely browned.  This brings out flavors of the garlic into the oil.

Crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites.

Beat the yolks and mix with the potatoes.  Add the butter, cheese and garlic and mix well.  Salt and pepper to taste.

And now we make the souffle'... WHISK the egg whites (with just a pinch of salt) to stiff peaks.

CAREFULLY mix the whites with the potato mixture.  Slowly and carefully.  You do not want to deflate those whipped whites.  When mixed, scoop portions back into the empty potato shells.  There will be left over potatoes.  Use the rest in a ramekin or whatever you might want to serve them in as leftovers tomorrow. Fill the potatoes about 3/4 fill.  The souffle' will rise!

And off to the grill...

HOT HOT HOT... You are preheating the grill for the steaks, use it as an oven.  Find a spot on the grill that is INDIRECT heat.  NOT over the coals (or gas jets).  When the lid closes, you have a hot oven in those spots.

15 minutes later 

They will deflate about 3-5 minutes after you remove them from the grill, it's what souffle's do.  But if you time everything correctly - steak, souffle and I was reheating some leftover creamed spinach), you have one heck of a grilling experience.

As my wife said to our company that night...

Oh, he's just showing off.

Yep, a grilled souffle'