This is a very elegant and restaurant-worthy pancake dish, good enough to serve double duty as a Pancake Day brunch or a posh Valentine’s day breakfast. It can also be served for lunch or supper… a true all-rounder of a dish. The recipe is a bit more challenging than most of what I post, but is definitely worth the effort. Something to show off your culinary skills. In case you don’t know the origins of the dish, Enoch Arnold Bennett (27 May 1867 – 27 March 1931) was an English author, best known as a novelist. An omelette Arnold Bennett is one that incorporates smoked haddock, hard cheese (typically Cheddar), and cream. It was created at the Savoy Grill in London for Bennett, who was an habitué, by the chef Jean Baptiste Virlogeux. This is a twist on the classic omelette Arnold Bennett, making the dish into a soufflé’d pancake instead.
Prep time 25 mins/Cook time 50 mins/Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
For the pancakes
55g (1/2 cup) plain flour
2 large eggs
175ml (7/10 cup) milk
mild olive oil, for frying
For the souffle
300g (2/3 lb) undyed smoked haddock fillet
300ml (1 ¼ cups) milk
1 small onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
50g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, plus butter wrapper
40g (1/3 cup) plain flour
2 large egg yolks
100g (3 ½ oz) gruyère, emmental or cheddar cheese, grated
3 egg whites
a little softened butter, for greasing
284ml (1 1/3 cups) carton double cream (plus a 142ml [2/3 cup] carton if serving 6)
50g (2 oz) parmesan, freshly grated (use 85g [3oz] if serving 6)
Method:
Combine the flour and ½ tsp salt into a blender, add the eggs and milk and whizz to a smooth batter (Note: there’s no need to let the batter stand as it only has a little flour in it – you can use it straight away).
Put a non-stick 16-18cm (6-7in) omelette or crêpe pan over a high heat and wait until you feel a good heat rising. Brush the pan lightly with oil then pour in about 2 tbsp of the batter, using a small ladle, and quicky swirl it around the pan to coat. Cook for 30-60 seconds, then loosen the edges with a small palette knife and check underneath. It should be a mid golden-brown colour when ready. Carefully flip the pancake over and cook the other side for 20-30 seconds. Slide the pancake out onto a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining batter, oiling the pan in between and stacking the pancakes on top of each other, then set aside to cool.
Lay the haddock, skin-side down, on a board and hold it at the tail end. Using a serrated knife, make a nick between the skin and flesh at this end. Pulling the skin hard towards you, slide the knife away from you in a sawing motion – the skin will come away easily in one piece. Combine the skinned fish, milk, onion and bay leaf in a shallow pan. Top with the butter wrapper, butter-side down, and bring up to a boil. Immediately take off the heat and set aside for about 7 minutes, until the fish flesh is firm.
Lift the fish out of the pan and transfer to a plate. Strain the milk into a jug. Press down on the fish with your finger, and watch the fish separate into perfect flakes. Check for any stray bones and discard them.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan and stir in half of the flour with a wooden spoon. Take off the heat, stir vigorously to combine, then cook for 30-60 seconds over a gentle heat, stirring constantly. Repeat with the remaining flour. Now stir in the hot milk, adding it in stages.
Scrape the sauce into a bowl and whisk in the egg yolks – the warmth of the sauce will make it absorb the yolks better. Now whisk in two-thirds of the gruyère, which will melt into the sauce. Switch back to using the wooden spoon and gently fold in the fish to retain the whole flakes. Now taste the sauce and add salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste.
Whisk the egg whites in a metal bowl with a balloon whisk until they form stiff peaks, then fold into the warm sauce with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated. Liberally butter 4 or 6 small gratin dishes (measuring 20 x 11.5cm [8 x 4.5 in] across the top). Lay a pancake in each dish so that half of it lines the base and the other half overhangs on all sides. Divide the soufflé between the pancakes, then flip over the overhanging halves to loosely enclose. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan/360°F/gas mark 5).
Pour the cream into a pan, bring just to a boil, then take off the heat. Whisk in the remaining gruyère and season to taste. Ladle the sauce over the pancakes and top with the Parmesan. Transfer the dishes to a baking tray, place in the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the mixture has risen and the top is browned.
The pancakes can be made the day before and kept chilled (or you can freeze them for up to 3 months, interleaving with clingfilm [plastic wrap]). For a dinner party, get them filled in their dishes 3-4 hours ahead, then put them on a baking tray and keep in the fridge (bring to room temperature for 1 hour before baking).
Make the cream sauce at the last minute and ladle it hot over the pancakes, then sprinkle with the parmesan.
