This recipe will serve 4-6 people.

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes
Cooking Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

1lb Brill
Salt and Black Pepper
1 Small Bay Leaf
1 Blade Mace
¼ Pint of Milk
3oz Unsalted Butter
3oz Plain Four
Nutmeg
3 Large Eggs

Mousseline Sauce:

Juice of ½ a Large Lemon
2 Large Egg Yolks
4oz Unsalted Butter
Salt and Black Pepper
4 Tablespoons of Double Cream

Method

1. Wash the Brill thoroughly and put it whole into a saucepan; cover it with cold water.

2. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, the bay leaf and mace to the fish, and cover the pan with a lid.

3. Bring slowly to simmering point, turn off the heat and leave the pan to stand for 10 minutes then lift out the fish.

4. Set aside ½ pint of the liquid and make it up to ¾ of a pint with milk.

5. Remove the skin and bones from the fish and flake the flesh roughly.

6. Melt 3oz of the butter in a large saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook this roux over a low heat for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, and then gradually stir in the fish and milk liquid.

7. Bring to the boil, still stirring, and cook for 2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and smooth. Season to taste with the salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg, then carefully fold the flaked fish into the sauce.

8. Separate the three eggs and beat the yolks into the fish mixture, one by one; whisk the egg whites until stiff then gently fold them in as well.

9. Spoon the mixture into a prepared 3 pint soufflé dish; cook in the center of the pre-heated oven to 400°F (gas mark 6) for 45 minutes or until the soufflé is risen and golden brown on top.

10. For the sauce, put the lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of cold water in a basin. Beat the egg yolks lightly ad stir them into the lemon juice.

11. Stand the basin over a saucepan of gently simmering water, but don’t allow the bottom of the basin to touch the water. Stir in ½oz of butter an whisk the mixture until thick.

12. Remove the basin from the heat and gradually whisk in the remaining butter cut into small knobs. Whisk until the butter is completely absorbed before adding the next knob. Use salt and pepper to season.

13. Whip the cream and fold it gently into the sauce. Heat the sauce in the basin over the pan of simmering water, whisking all the time.

14. Serve the soufflé immediately, and offer the Mousseline sauce in a sauceboat. If wanted, boiled cauliflower or a green salad could be served with the soufflé.

Note from Grandma

I have included the Mousseline Sauce as it is a classic sauce to serve with Brill which is an inexpensive fish suitable for pies and soufflés.