When my mother got married, she was 17 and my father was 22. She did not know how to cook, except for a few simple dishes that she had learned from her mother. Yet she was willing and fearless. My father liked cheese souffle, so my mother graciously obliged. She had never made a souffle before, but a friend told her that it consisted of a white sauce (bechamel), grated cheese and eggs — a cinch! To the bechamel, that staple of the French home cook, she added her grated Swiss cheese and then cracked and added one egg after another to the mixture, stirred it well, poured it into a gratin dish, and baked it in the oven. Viola! No one had told her that the eggs should be separated, with the yolks added to the base sauce and the whites whipped to a firm consistency and then gently folded into the mixture. Ignorance is bliss, and in this case it was indeed: The souffle rose to a golden height and become a family favorite. This is a great recipe; it can be assembled hours or even a day ahead, and although it is slightly less airy than a standard souffle, it is delicious.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus more to butter a 6-cup gratin dish
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cold whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 extra-large eggs
• 2 1/3 cups grated Swiss cheese, preferably Gruyere (about 6 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chive blades

Directions