‘Tis the Season

Simply delicious, foolproof and easy. Twice-baked salmon soufflé

It’s that time of year where Panic, Manic and Chaos tend to be unwelcome visitors to anyone’s home, including mine. I don’t know about you, my dear readers, but I pile on the pressure by opening up our home to friends and neighbours on Christmas Eve. Nothing fancy, just booze and nibbles, but it means that come Christmas Day I can only face dealing with that dreaded bird and all the trimmings, but I love salmon in all its guises.Smoked salmon is a great to start the meal, but the husband isn’t a fan; in order to quell my cravings, I make these twice-baked soufflés a couple of days in advance and finish them off on the big day.

There is nothing to fear about these fluffy things, the recipe is foolproof and always rise to the occasion. They’ve never failed me yet!

You can use your favourite salmon products but I’ve used the smoked goodies from Inverawe Smokehouse. You can replace the pâté with ricotta if you wish.

Inverawe Smokehouse goodies for the salmon lover.

So felicitations that befit the season and don’t panic. As Mary Berry says, think of it as just an extra large roast dinner!

 Twice-Baked Hot Smoked Salmon Soufflés

40g/1½ oz butter
25g/1oz plain flour
300ml/½pint milk warmed
2 tsp chopped dill or two good pinches of dill pollen
A tub of Inverawe smoked salmon pâté
3 large eggs, separated
100g/4oz Inverawe hot smoked salmon, flaked
Zest ½ lemon
Salt and pepper
Second Baking
6 tblspns double cream
Parmesan
Lemon
To Serve
Inverawe smoked salmon
Lemon
Salad leaves

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Generously butter 6x150ml/5fl oz ovenproof ramekins and line the bases with a disc of baking parchment. Place on a baking tray.
Melt the butter in a medium non-stick saucepan over a low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Once combined, return to the heat and cook for a minute, stirring as it cooks and begins to bubble. Remove from the heat.
Gradually stir the milk into the flour and butter paste, then return to the heat and cook for 2 minutes, bringing to the boil, stirring constantly. The sauce will become smooth, silky and thick. Add the dill and lemon.
Remove from heat and cool. Once the mixture has cooled, beat in the egg yolks one at a time until thoroughly mixed.
Pop the pâté into a medium sized bowl, stir in the egg mix, add the flaked salmon, lemon, season with salt and pepper.
Whisk the egg whites until soft, but firm peaks. It doesn’t want to be stiff and dry, as the whites need to expand during cooking.
Slacken the salmon mix with a large dollop of egg white, Fold the remaining into the mix gently.
Spoon into the dishes and bake for 15 minutes until risen and golden.
Remove from oven and cool; don’t worry if they sink.

Hot out the oven. Don’t worry if they sink, they’ll fluff up on the second baking.

Gently run a round bladed knife around the edges of the soufflés and very carefully turn the them out.
Pop them into a shallow dish and peel off the lining paper. At this point, you can either cover with clingfilm and chill until needed or top with the cream and parmesan then bake for 10-15 minutes at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 until the soufflés start to puff up.
Lift out soufflés and place onto individual plates, spoon over the creamy sauce and top with a twist of cold smoke salmon and a sliver of lemon.
Serve with some dressed salad leaves.

(C) Lea Harris, In the Kitchen with BakersBunny, 2016.