Simon Schama's cheese souffle recipe

You will need: 2 tbsp butter, 1 1/2 tbsp plain flour, 6 eggs (separated into 4 yolks and 6 whites), 200ml milk, 170g grated gruyere, 50g finely grated parmesan, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, and salt Photograph: Andrew Testa/Andrew Testa

• Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Butter a large (1.8l) ovenproof souffle dish and dust with flour
• Separate the eggs; whites into a large bowl, yolks into small one Photograph: Andrew Testa/Andrew Testa

• On a medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan; add the flour with either wooden fork or small whisk and blend, ­stirring all the time for two minutes so that the mix doesn’t form lumps. It should make an elastic goop
• Add the milk and continue to stir or whisk for about four minutes until the mixture forms a dense creamy mass – the bechamel Photograph: Andrew Testa/Andrew Testa

• Add the grated gruyere and stir until smooth. Remove from heat
• When tepid, whisk in the egg yolks and mustard
• Beat the whites (preferably by hand with ­balloon whisk but an electric beater works just fine) until they form soft and floppy peaks Photograph: Andrew Testa/Andrew Testa

• Using a flexible plastic or rubber spatula fold the cheese-mustard mix into the egg whites (or vice versa, it really doesn’t matter). What does matter is that you fold, not beat or ­aggressively stir. Folding just means ­diving the spatula to the bottom of the bowl, and lovingly bringing it up and over again to blend the mix. It’s always much better to undermix than lose air by thrashing it into submission
• When the mixture is nicely married, pour into buttered, flour-dusted souffle dish. It should fill all but 1cm below the lip. With a knife cut a circle in the top of the mix – to create a crown – and sprinkle the finely grated parmesan Photograph: Andrew Testa/Andrew Testa

• Set the souffle dish in the oven and turn the heat down immediately to 175C
• While the souffle is cooking, assemble simple salad – watercress or rocket with a light dressing, a little acid to cut against the creaminess of the souffle
• Bake for 25 minutes before peeping. Test doneness with skewer. It won’t collapse. If skewer comes away cleanly and, depending on whether you want an oozy, flowing centre or a drier souffle, stop right there or cook for another four minutes. Serve with the watercress salad or a dish of crispy ­cavolo nero or spinach Photograph: Andrew Testa/Andrew Testa