The other day I was looking for soufflé dishes on the Internet. I came aross a YouTube video of Liberace on the David Letterman show in March 1984. (See link below.)
David was his usual snarky self, lobbing some petty barbs and doing immature things such as wiping his hands on Liberace’s new apron that he had just proudly boasted about having received as a gift from Macy’s.
To his credit, Liberace deftly dodged Letterman’s nastiness and in fact at pulled off a beautiful counter-punch. (Watch his hand up by his face when he comments, “Just in case you’re watching.”)
Anywaaaaay, Liberace was on the show to promote an appearance at Radio City Music Hall commemorating his 40 years in show business. He also talked about his cooking hobby and made “individual-serving egg casseroles” on the show that sounded so good I just had to try it.
A couple of modifications -- I used whole-grain bread for the crumbs. Also, he mixed all the chopped ingredients together. I thought it would make a more interesting presentation to layer them.
So, here ya go…
INDIVIDUAL EGG CASSEROLE
(Recipe by Liberace)
Need: 4 individual-serving-size soufflé bowls, rameks, or other small oven-safe bowls
8 Eggs
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Salt & black pepper to taste
2 cups whole-grain bread crumbs
1/2 white onion
1/2 green pepper
3 mushrooms
1 cup cooked ham
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Butter
Paprika
Dice the onion, green pepper, mushroom & ham; grate the cheese. Place each ingredient in a little pile on your cutting board.
Lightly butter each soufflé bowl. Layer each bowl with bread crumbs, onion, green pepper, mushroom, ham, cheese, and a top layer of bread crumbs.
Whisk 4 eggs, dry mustard, salt & pepper in a mixing bowl.
Pour equal amounts of the eggs into the soufflé bowls.
Using a 1”-diameter spice bottle or something similar, press a deep well into the middle of each soufflé bowl.
One at a time, crack the four remaining eggs, being careful not to break the yolk, and dump one into each of the wells in the soufle bowls.
Top with a light layer of shaved parmesan cheese then dust each with paprika.
Put into a 360-degree oven and bake. Check after 30 minutes to see if the eggs in the middle are done. If they are still somewhat raw, let bake another five minutes or so. But don’t bake too long or the eggs will get tough -- they will continue cooking after being removed from the oven.
Serve with some sliced fruit, tomatoes, wild rice, etc.
Makes four servings.
David was his usual snarky self, lobbing some petty barbs and doing immature things such as wiping his hands on Liberace’s new apron that he had just proudly boasted about having received as a gift from Macy’s.
To his credit, Liberace deftly dodged Letterman’s nastiness and in fact at pulled off a beautiful counter-punch. (Watch his hand up by his face when he comments, “Just in case you’re watching.”)
Anywaaaaay, Liberace was on the show to promote an appearance at Radio City Music Hall commemorating his 40 years in show business. He also talked about his cooking hobby and made “individual-serving egg casseroles” on the show that sounded so good I just had to try it.
A couple of modifications -- I used whole-grain bread for the crumbs. Also, he mixed all the chopped ingredients together. I thought it would make a more interesting presentation to layer them.
So, here ya go…
INDIVIDUAL EGG CASSEROLE
(Recipe by Liberace)
Need: 4 individual-serving-size soufflé bowls, rameks, or other small oven-safe bowls
8 Eggs
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Salt & black pepper to taste
2 cups whole-grain bread crumbs
1/2 white onion
1/2 green pepper
3 mushrooms
1 cup cooked ham
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Butter
Paprika
Dice the onion, green pepper, mushroom & ham; grate the cheese. Place each ingredient in a little pile on your cutting board.
Lightly butter each soufflé bowl. Layer each bowl with bread crumbs, onion, green pepper, mushroom, ham, cheese, and a top layer of bread crumbs.
Whisk 4 eggs, dry mustard, salt & pepper in a mixing bowl.
Pour equal amounts of the eggs into the soufflé bowls.
Using a 1”-diameter spice bottle or something similar, press a deep well into the middle of each soufflé bowl.
One at a time, crack the four remaining eggs, being careful not to break the yolk, and dump one into each of the wells in the soufle bowls.
Top with a light layer of shaved parmesan cheese then dust each with paprika.
Put into a 360-degree oven and bake. Check after 30 minutes to see if the eggs in the middle are done. If they are still somewhat raw, let bake another five minutes or so. But don’t bake too long or the eggs will get tough -- they will continue cooking after being removed from the oven.
Serve with some sliced fruit, tomatoes, wild rice, etc.
Makes four servings.
