Quarter the tangerines and discard any seeds.
In a medium saucepan heat the orange juice and two thirds of the
sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the tangerines, cover
the pan, and simmer until the tangerines are very tender, 25 to
35 minutes. Strain them, pressing gently to extract most of the
juice, and set them aside. Measure 1/2 cup/125 ml juice and
reserve the rest. Put the tangerines with the measured juice in
a food processor and work for 3 to 4 minutes to form a fairly
rough purée - this forms the base of the soufflé. Work in the
Grand Marnier. The purée should just hold a shape without being
sticky; if necessary, work in a little more juice. Return the
purée to the saucepan.
For the orange strawberry sauce, hull the
strawberries, washing them only if the are sandy. Purée them in
a food processor with the Grand Marnier, sugar and 2 to 3
tablespoons of the reserved tangerine juice. Taste and add more
sugar if needed. Chill for serving.
For the soufflé, heat the oven to
400°F/200°C. Generously butter the ramekins, chill them for 10
minutes in the freezer, and butter them again. Set them on a
baking sheet. Whip the egg whites with a tablespoon of the
remaining sugar until the whites hold a stiff peak, 1 to 2
minutes in an electric mixer. Add remaining sugar and stir with
a spoon until the whites are glossy and form a long peak when
the spoon is lifted, about 1 minute.
Heat the tangerine purée until the edges
start to bubble. Take it from the heat and add about a quarter
of the whites, stirring until well mixed - the heat cooks and
slightly stiffens the whites. Add this mixture to the remaining
whites and fold together as lightly as possible.
To finish, transfer the soufflé mixture to
the ramekins, filling them to the rim and mounding the mixture
generously in the center of the dishes. (If you overdo this, the
soufflés will look like a volcanoes, but that can be fun too.)
Run your thumb around the edge of the mixture to detach it from
the ramekin so it rises in a “hat.” Bake the soufflé until
puffed and brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Set the ramekins on small
plates, preferably lined with a napkin or paper doily so the
ramekins do not slip, and rush the soufflés at once to the
table. Leave your guests to poke a hole in the center of their
soufflés and pour in some cold sauce.
This Recipe of the Month
selection comes from Anne Willan's newest release: Anne
Willan From My Château Kitchen (Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
April 2000)
www.randomhouse.com
