At the State Fair of Texas, this crab and asparagus soufflé won Best of Show for the American Egg Roundup.
Ingredients
Crabmeat Filling:
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup minced yellow bell pepper
  • 1 shallot , minced
  • 1 1/2 pounds cooked snow crab meat , flaked
  • 15 spears asparagus
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 8 ounces room temperature cream cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 hollandaise sauce
Hollandaise Sauce:
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 tsp. cold water
  • 3/4 cup clarified butter
  • 1/2 lemon , juiced
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Florentine Cream Cheese:
  • 9 ounces softened cream cheese spread
  • 1/3 cup cooked spinach , rung dry of excess moisture
  • 6 strips crisp bacon , crumbled
Soufflé Roll:
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups milk , heated until milk steams
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. white pepper
  • 6 eggs , separated
  • 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh chives , cut into 1-inch strips
Directions
To make filling: Place asparagus, which has been split in half lengthwise, in a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons butter. Sauté asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes. Add several tablespoons water in pan. Place lid on pan and steam for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

Over medium heat, place 2 tablespoons butter in a sauté pan, melt. Add shallots and peppers and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in crabmeat and heat through, about 1 minute. Whisk cream cheese with 1/2 cup of the hollandaise until it's smooth. Stir into crabmeat mixture along with the asparagus. Set aside. 

To make Florentine cream cheese spread: Place cream cheese, spinach and crumbled bacon in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Set aside. 

To make hollandaise sauce: Combine yolks and water in a double boiler pan, which is nonreactive. Whisk over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken and the whisk leaves traces on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and continue to whisking. Whisk in the melted butter little by little to obtain a thick, silky sauce. Whisk in the lemon juice and seasoning. Set aside. 

To make soufflé roll: Preheat oven to 400°. Butter a half sheet pan, line with parchment paper and dust with flour, topping out excess. Over medium-high heat, melt butter, stir in flour and salt. Cook, stirring until blended, 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat, add milk, whisk vigorously to form a smooth mixture. Return to medium heat and bring mixture to a bubble. Cook 1 minute beyond this. Remove from the heat, stir in white and cayenne pepper. Whisk egg yolks vigorously. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the heated milk mixture; then whisk into remaining sauce until well blended. Cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. 

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into warm sauce. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Bake until puffed and brown and center springs back when lightly pressed, about 25 to 30 minutes. Lay a kitchen towel out, sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. When soufflé is finished baking, immediately invert onto towel. Lift off pan and peel off parchment paper. Spread Florentine cream cheese mixture evenly over soufflé roll. Spread crabmeat mixture on top of Florentine cream cheese. Drizzle remaining hollandaise on top of the crabmeat mixture. Using the towel and starting from the long side, roll up soufflé, transfer roll, seam side down, onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese; garnish with chives. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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