Bear's Head Mushroom Soufflé with a Truffle-Beciamela Sauce

My 'Fungi Feast for My Fun Guy' had some easy dishes - open jar and serve - and some culinary challenges that got me out of my comfort zone. Having never made a soufflé, I thought I'd tackle it for Jake's birthday dinner. It was well worth the effort.

Keep in mind this egg-to-person rule: every egg you use represents a single serving. So, if you are having a soufflé party for 6, use 6 eggs. Simple.

Slice whatever mushrooms you are using – in this case bear's head mushrooms from Far West Fungi were my fungus of choice - toss them into a hot skillet and sauté them until water bubbles out and they brown slightly.

Separate your eggs and stir the mushrooms into the yolks. Whip your egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and fold the mushroom-yolk into the egg whites 1/3 at a time. Butter your soufflé ramekins, and fill them three-quarters of the way up. Put them in the oven - in a baking dish with water coming halfway up the ramekin. Bake for roughly 20 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned.

While the soufflés are baking, make a beciamela sauce by melting butter with a splash of black truffle oil, stirring in flour to make a roux, and adding milk to make a thick sauce. Sauté more sliced bear's head mushrooms with crushed garlic and add them to the sauce.

The soufflés will begin to collapse almost as soon as you take it out of the oven, so serve them immediately. I placed them in front of the guests, with a spoon, and had them make a hole in the center of the soufflé. Then I scooped in the sauce. The result? A delightful, delicate creation celebrating the incomparable flavor of a mushroom. Delicious!

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