Summer Corn Soufflé with Chipotle and Lime

Author Notes

My Grandmother was an elegant, distinguished woman who was one of those people who could whip together a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings for twelve without breaking a sweat. She is my greatest inspiration in the kitchen. This soufflé is inspired by the corn pudding she would make every Thanksgiving. Perhaps if it were Fall and the weather cooler, I would tip my hat to her by presenting her recipe here. Instead, it is muggy and hot here and my homage to her is a lighter soufflé version. I also punched up the flavor by adding a touch of chipotle and lime zest. I also made it gluten free, so my husband, who is gluten intolerant, could enjoy it as well. I do not think I have ever fully appreciated the well matched pair of lime and corn; here the lime makes the corn taste buttery and the corn takes the bitter edge off the lime, leaving only its sweet citrus notes. Add the subtle heat from the chipotle and you get a light, savory soufflé that is anything but one note. Individual soufflés in ramekins would also be lovely.
Note: Sorghum flour is a millet like grain that is also a nutrient rich powerhouse. In its flour form it is looks a bit like buckwheat flour in color. I used sorghum flour in place of wheat flour, with the following results: 1) It does not puff up as much as a normal soufflé (see photo) but falls as quickly. Without the gluten, the top becomes delicate custard, with the sweet, savory corn at the bottom. 2) To my palate, the sorghum flour is imperceptible – this soufflé is delicious and if I had not made it myself I would not guess that it had gluten free flour. I think I will always make this with these ingredients, and I think my Grandmother would approve. - gingerroot
—gingerroot

Test Kitchen Notes

This was the first time I've ever made a soufflé and I will, as requested by my teenager, make it LOTS more. It took about twice as long to cook as the recipe said, perhaps because I placed it on an insulated cookie sheet to catch potential drips, which wasn't necessary. It was worth it though to hear my teenager say "I don't like it. I LOVE it. I mean, more than meat. More than good steak, and for vegetables and eggs, that's saying a lot." We both really delighted in the lime and chipotle notes. Note: I used Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour blend, which is partly sorghum, but also has other flours in it. - Serene —The Editors