Fish soufflé

My mother used to make this recipe in a round Pyrex dish when I was little and the round shape was quite pretty. Now that I think of it, I think she only made a soufflé in that Pyrex dish. Alas, I do not have a round recipient so I baked it on my rectangular Pyrex dishes.

I was always fascinated with how quickly it deflated out of the oven. Not 10 seconds and it was flat!

I added the salmon to my mom's recipe. I always thought just whiting was a bit too bland and salmon gives it more flavour. I did think of adding anchovies as well like Delia Smith does but then it would taste more like fish pie and this is a soufflé!

Serves: 4 persons.

Ingredients:

• 500g fish (mix of whiting and salmon)
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 200ml milk
• ½ lemon juice (3 tbsp)
• 4 eggs, separated
• nutmeg to taste
• salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Boil the fish in salted water. If needed, remove the skin and bones of the fish and flake it. Reserve 200ml of the cooking water.
2. Make the white sauce: melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and whisk, then the milk and the water of the cooking of the fish and whisk until thick. Add salt & pepper and nutmeg to taste.
   
   
   
3. Add the 4 yolks and the lemon juice. Mix.
   
4. Add the flaked fish to the sauce. Mix.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Whisk the egg whites to hard peaks.
   
   
   
6. Fold the egg whites in the fish mixture carefully.
   
   
   
7. Butter and flour an ovenproof dish. At this stage I miscalculated how much mixture I had and I prepared my smallest Pyrex dish. I moved on to butter and flour a bigger one thinking all mixture would fit. In the end, I used both dishes!!
8. Pour the fish mixture into the dish and bake at 180°C for 30 min or until risen and golden.
   
   
   
9. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.