Soufflé Arnold Bennett
Daniel created this dish for MasterChef UK ™ Series 22. He reinvents the classic Omelette Arnold Bennett as a twice-baked smoked haddock and Comté soufflé, poaching the fish in star-anise-infused milk so it becomes the flavour base. Grace Dent praised the soufflé's fluffiness and the just-right balance of haddock, egg and cheese, while Anna Haugh singled out the elegant fish cookery and the warm aromats threading through the sauce. A matching clove-and-star-anise béchamel and a toasted Comté crisp bread round out the plate.
- Time: 105 min
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- FOR THE POACHED HADDOCK & INFUSED MILK
- Whole milk — 1 1/2 cups
- Star anise — 2 whole
- Whole cloves — 3
- Bay leaf — 1
- Black peppercorns — 6
- Undyed smoked haddock — 10 oz , skin on, pin-boned
- FOR THE SOUFFLÉ BASE
- Unsalted butter — 3 tbsp , plus extra softened for the moulds
- Plain flour — 1/3 cup
- Large eggs, separated — 4
- Comté cheese, grated — 1 cup , aged 12+ months if possible
- Dijon mustard — 1 tsp
- Grated nutmeg — a pinch
- Fine sea salt — 1/2 tsp , season cautiously
- Cream of tartar — 1/4 tsp
- FOR THE CLOVE & STAR ANISE BÉCHAMEL
- Reserved infused milk — 1 cup , topped up with fresh milk if needed
- Star anise — 1 whole
- Whole clove — 1
- Unsalted butter — 2 tbsp
- Plain flour — 2 tbsp
- Double cream — 2 tbsp , for gloss
- FOR THE SECOND BAKE
- Double cream — 2/3 cup
- Comté cheese, grated — 1/3 cup , to finish the tops
- FOR THE COMTÉ CRISP BREAD
- Sourdough or baguette — 4 thin slices, cut on the bias
- Unsalted butter, softened — 1 tbsp
- Comté cheese, grated — 3/4 cup
- Chives, finely snipped — 1 tbsp, to finish
- EQUIPMENT
- Four 150 ml dariole moulds or ramekins
- Wide, shallow pan for poaching the haddock
- Two medium saucepans
- Balloon whisk and a clean, grease-free bowl
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Box grater or microplane
- Shallow baking dish for the second bake