Salt Cod Soufflé, Lettuce Salad with Cashews and Raisins

Introduction

On Christmas Eve my family eats good old Bacalhau com Todos. Wanting to honour the cod tradition with a gourmet twist, here is a remarkable salt cod soufflé—creamy, wholesome and deeply savoury. The real secret isn’t the cod… it’s the leek. Shhh—don’t tell. It’s my gift to you.

Instructions

For the salt cod soufflé:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Salt cure: cover a plate with salt, lay the cod on top and bury it in more salt. Rest 20 minutes.

2. Brush off excess salt and add a few drops of lemon.

3. Bring milk to the boil with 1 bay leaf, 3 thyme sprigs and 1 crushed garlic clove. Add the cod, turn off the heat and poach 12 minutes. Reserve the milk.

4. In a hot pan, melt butter with oil. Finely chop parsley stalks and onion and sweat without colouring with bay and thyme. Add remaining chopped garlic and sliced leek. Stir and sweat until fragrant.

5. Grate carrots into the pan. Season with fleur de sel and pepper.

6. Flake the cod into the pan.

7. After a couple of minutes, stir in sifted flour. Gradually whisk in 250ml strained poaching milk. Season with grated nutmeg and cook until thick. Turn off; discard bay and thyme.

8. Separate eggs, reserving whites. Beat yolks into the base one by one, vigorously.

9. Whisk whites to stiff peaks.

10. Fold gently into the base.

11. Butter ramekins with upward strokes; coat with breadcrumbs and grated cheese.

12. Fill three-quarters full; top with more grated cheese.

13. Bake about 25 minutes until risen and golden.

For the salad with cashews and raisins:

1. Combine lettuces, parsley leaves, roughly broken cashews and raisins.

2. Finely chop shallot and shake in a jar with fleur de sel, pepper, honey, oil and vinegar until emulsified.

3. Dress the salad and toss.

To serve:

1. On a wide shallow plate, place a hot ramekin with a handful of salad beside it. Scatter roughly chopped parsley on the soufflé—it should be tall, creamy and airy.