Serves 4

If you can’t find a big enough soufflé dish for this recipe, butter a 22-24cm heatproof ceramic casserole instead.

300g undyed smoked haddock fillet, skinned

500ml milk

1 small onion, sliced

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp olive oil

200g small leeks, trimmed and chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

65g unsalted butter

40g plain flour

6 eggs, separated

100g Gruyère, finely grated

50g Parmesan, freshly grated

1 Put the haddock, milk, onion and bay leaf in a shallow pan. Cover the fish with a dampened piece of greaseproof paper and bring the milk to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat and leave for about 7 minutes until the fish feels firm. Lift the fish onto a plate. Strain the milk into a jug and discard the onion and bay leaf. Break up the fish into flakes with your fingers, checking for and discarding any bones.

2 Heat the oil in a small saucepan and sweat the leeks with some salt and pepper for about 8 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Transfer to the plate with the flaked fish and leave to cool.

3 Soften 25g of the butter and use to brush the insides of a large soufflé dish, approximately 22 x 10cm deep, using upward strokes. Chill to set. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.

4 Melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan and stir in half of the flour with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat, stir vigorously, then cook for about 1 minute over a low heat, stirring. Repeat with the remaining flour. Gradually stir in the strained milk and cook until you have a thick sauce. Remove from the heat and cool for 3-4 minutes.

5 Next, beat the egg yolks into the sauce, followed by the Gruyère, which will melt into the mixture. Fold in the haddock and leeks, taking care not to break up the fish, and check for seasoning.

6 Whisk the egg whites in a grease-free bowl to stiff peaks, then whisk a third of the whites into the soufflé base. Carefully fold in the rest until evenly incorporated. Spoon the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish and level the top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, then bake on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes.

7 Reduce the oven to 180C/Gas 4 and bake for 20 minutes more. The soufflé should rise evenly and retain a slight wobble in the centre when ready. Serve immediately with a crisp green salad and boiled new potatoes.

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