Fish Soufflé

Ingredients

• 2 ounces fresh butter (Approximately 55 g. Unsalted butter works well.)
• 2 medium onions onions, sliced (Peel and slice thinly into rounds.)
• 2 apples sour apples (Granny Smith or any tart cooking apple. Core and roughly chop — no need to peel.)
• 1 sprig fresh thyme (One small sprig, left whole.)
• 2 leaves bay leaves (Dried or fresh both work.)
• 1 sprig fresh flat-leaf parsley (One small sprig for frying; additional parsley needed for garnish (see garnish ingredient).)
• 1 ounce freshly grated coconut (Approximately 28 g. Use fresh coconut if possible; unsweetened desiccated coconut is an acceptable substitute.)
• 6 almonds blanched almonds, finely ground (Blanch by covering with boiling water for 1 minute, then slip off skins. Pound in a mortar or blitz briefly in a food processor to a coarse paste.)
• 1 fish (approx. 300–400 g) sole or whiting, whole (Can be raw or already cooked. Ask your fishmonger to gut and clean it but leave it whole on the bone for cooking.)
• 0.5 teaspoon curry powder (A mild or medium curry powder is suitable.)
• 0.5 teaspoon curry paste (A mild curry paste such as korma or balti.)
• 0.5 teaspoon tamarind (Use tamarind paste or concentrate. If using a block of tamarind, dissolve a small piece in a teaspoon of warm water and use half a teaspoon of that liquid.)
• 1 pinch salt (Add to taste.)
• 1 pinch coralline pepper (A Victorian spice blend with a red colour. Substitute with a pinch of mild red chilli powder or cayenne pepper.)
• 1 tablespoon white tarragon vinegar (White wine vinegar infused with tarragon. If unavailable, use plain white wine vinegar.)
• 1 pint whole milk (Approximately 570 ml. Full-fat milk gives the best body.)
• 1 small pinch saffron (Steep a small pinch of saffron threads in 1 tablespoon of warm milk for 5 minutes, then add the coloured milk to the pan. This replaces the original 'saffron yellow' colouring.)
• 3 sheets gelatine sheets (leaf gelatine) (Standard platinum or gold grade leaf gelatine. Each sheet is approximately 2 g.)
• 0.25 pint aspic jelly, lightly whipped (Approximately 140 ml. Use a good-quality store-bought clear aspic, or make your own fish or chicken aspic. It should be at the point of setting but still pourable, then whisked until slightly aerated and opaque.)
• 0.5 pint double cream, whipped (Approximately 280 ml double (heavy) cream, whipped to soft peaks.)
• 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (For garnishing the finished soufflés.)
• 2 tablespoons aspic jelly, set and finely chopped (Set a small amount of aspic in a shallow tray in the fridge, then chop finely with a knife for garnish.)

Instructions

1. 1Before you start cooking, prepare your serving moulds. You will need 4–6 small ramekins or soufflé dishes (about 150–200 ml each). Cut strips of baking parchment or greaseproof paper approximately 5 cm (2 inches) taller than your ramekins and long enough to wrap around the outside. Wrap a strip around the outside of each ramekin, so the paper extends above the rim, and secure with a rubber band or a piece of kitchen string. This paper collar creates the illusion of a risen soufflé once removed. Set the prepared moulds aside on a tray that will fit in your refrigerator.
2. 2Place the 3 sheets of gelatine in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 5 minutes until soft and floppy — this is called 'blooming'. At the same time, place a small pinch of saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk and leave to steep for 5 minutes; the milk will turn a vivid yellow colour. Set both aside until needed.
3. 3Place a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the 2 ounces (55 g) of butter and let it melt until foaming. Add the 2 sliced onions and fry, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the 2 roughly chopped sour apples, 1 sprig of thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 sprig of parsley, 1 ounce (28 g) of freshly grated coconut, and the 6 blanched and finely ground almonds. Stir everything together. Place the whole sole or whiting on top of the aromatics in the pan. Fry everything together over medium heat, turning the fish carefully once, until the mixture is a good golden colour all over — this will take about 8–10 minutes. The fish does not need to be fully cooked through yet; it will finish cooking in the milk.
4. 4Once the pan contents are golden, add the ½ teaspoon of curry powder, ½ teaspoon of curry paste, ½ teaspoon of tamarind paste, a pinch of salt, a pinch of coralline pepper (or mild chilli powder), and 1 tablespoon of white tarragon vinegar. Stir to coat everything in the spices — cook for 1 minute to let the spices bloom in the heat. Now pour in the 1 pint (570 ml) of whole milk, stir gently, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the fish is completely tender and cooked through (it should flake easily when pressed). Pour in the saffron-steeped milk (from step 2) and stir to distribute the colour evenly throughout the pan. Lift out the bloomed gelatine sheets (from step 2), squeeze out excess water, and add them directly to the hot pan. Stir well until fully dissolved — the liquid must be hot enough to melt the gelatine; if it has cooled below a gentle simmer, briefly return to low heat while stirring. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. 5Using a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully lift the fish out of the pan onto a board. Use your fingers (let it cool for a minute or two first) or a fork to peel away the skin and lift the fish flesh off the bones. Discard the bones, skin, bay leaves, thyme sprig, and parsley sprig. Return the fish flesh to the pan with all the other ingredients. Now blend the entire contents of the pan into a smooth purée. Use a stick (immersion) blender directly in the pan, or transfer in batches to a countertop blender. Blend until completely smooth. To strain out any remaining fibres or coarse pieces (mimicking the original 'tammy cloth'), pour the purée through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl, pressing it through with the back of a ladle or a spatula. Discard any solids left in the sieve. You should have a smooth, golden, aromatic fish purée. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until it thickens to a very soft, barely set consistency — about 20–30 minutes. You will use ¼ pint (140 ml) of this purée in the next step; any remaining purée can be tasted and used as a sauce or spread.
6. 6Take ¼ pint (140 ml) of your aspic jelly. It should be at the point of setting — cold but not yet firm (the consistency of a loose, barely-pourable jelly). If it is still liquid, refrigerate it in a bowl until it begins to thicken. Once it has reached this just-setting stage, use a hand whisk or electric hand mixer to whisk it briskly until it turns opaque, aerated, and slightly increased in volume, similar to softly whipped cream. Work quickly, as aspic can set fast. Set aside in the refrigerator.
7. 7Pour ½ pint (280 ml) of cold double (heavy) cream into a clean, cold bowl. Using a hand whisk or electric hand mixer, whip until the cream holds soft peaks — it should be thick and billowy but not stiff or grainy. Do not over-whip. Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.
8. 8Take ¼ pint (140 ml) of the chilled, softly-set fish purée (from step 5) and place it in a large bowl. Add the whipped aspic (from step 6) and fold it gently into the purée using a large rubber spatula, using sweeping motions from the bottom of the bowl upward — try to keep as much air as possible. Once combined, add the whipped cream (from step 7) and fold in the same gentle manner until just incorporated and the mixture is uniform in colour and texture. Do not stir vigorously or you will lose the light, airy quality.
9. 9Working quickly before the mixture begins to set, ladle or spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared paper-collared ramekins (from step 1), filling them right to the top of the paper collar — or even slightly above the rim of the ramekin if you can. This is what creates the dramatic 'risen soufflé' effect when the collar is removed. Smooth the tops gently with the back of a spoon. Place the tray of filled moulds into the refrigerator and leave to set for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
10. 10While the soufflés are setting, prepare the chopped aspic garnish. Pour a thin layer of aspic jelly (approximately 2 tablespoons worth) into a small, flat-bottomed dish or plate and refrigerate until fully set and firm — about 20–30 minutes. Once set, use a sharp knife to chop the aspic into very small, fine pieces, like coarse breadcrumbs. The pieces should glitter and catch the light. Keep refrigerated until serving.
11. 11Once the soufflés are fully set (after at least 1 hour in the refrigerator), remove them from the fridge. To unmould, carefully snip the rubber band or string on each ramekin and slowly peel away the paper collar — the soufflé mixture should stand tall above the rim of the dish, mimicking a classic baked soufflé. Do this gently to avoid cracking the sides. Immediately sprinkle the top of each soufflé with a little finely chopped fresh parsley and a scattering of the chopped aspic jelly. Serve the soufflés immediately on a plate lined with a clean folded cloth or paper napkin (the original 'dish-paper'), as an elegant starter or entrée.