Twelve-Egg Cheese Souffle

Better than the ones in France.  (I hope I'm not excommunicated for saying this.)  Use your backyard chicken eggs for the lightest, most delectable souffle in the world. Adapted from The Silver Spoon, the recipe book given to every bride on her wedding day in Italy.

     4 quantities of Bechamel sauce (recipe below)

     1 pound Emmenthal cheese, sliced into thin strips

     12 eggs, separated

     1 tsp salt

     Bechamel Sauce

     1 cup butter

     1 cup flour (gluten-free works great)

     1 quart rice milk

     2 cups whole milk

     1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

     1/4 tsp salt

       Melt butter.  Whisk in flour.  Pour in all milk, whisking constantly until boiling.  Continue to whisk

       and boil for 20 minutes.

For Souffle:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease souffle dishes with butter.  Make Bechamel sauce, add Emmenthal cheese and stir until melted.  Season with salt.  Cool a little.  Beat in egg yolks.  Stiffly beat the egg whites and fold in.  Spoon mixture into prepared dishes 3/4 of the way up, and bake for 20-30 minutes (if individual souffles) or 40-45 minutes for large souffles.  Then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake until tops are high and brown, 10 or more minutes.  Serve immediately.