Salmon Soufflé à l'Auberge de l'Ill

For more than 100 years it's been run by the Haeberlin family, who turned a village pub into one of the world's best restaurants. The greatest era of the Auberge de l'Ill was ushered in by the brothers Paul and Jean-Pierre Haeberlin. Since 1967 the respected Michelin restaurant guide has conferred its highest score of three stars on the Haeberlins. Now Marc Haeberlin, the son of 80 year-old Paul has taken the helm. The following recipe was created some 40 years ago by Paul Haeberlin. This classic dish is still on the menu.

Salmon Soufflé à l'Auberge de l'Ill (serves 8):

A 2 kg salmon
150 g butter
1/4 litre fish broth
1/2 bottle Riesling
4 shallots
1/2 liter heavy cream
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
8 rosettes of puff pastry

For the mousse:

250 g pike
1/4 liter heavy cream
2 whole eggs + 2 separated eggs
salt and pepper
nutmeg

Cut the salmon into fillets or ask your fishmonger to prepare it. Cut the fillets into 8 medaillons.

For the mousse:

Grind the pike meat using a food mill and put the mass into a blender. Add two whole eggs and two egg yolks, reserving the egg whites for later. Season with a small pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Purée the mixture and add the cream gradually. Put the mousse into a bowl and chill. Beat in the egg whites and fold into the cold filling. Brush this mousse thickly onto the salmon medaillions placed on a buttered and salted casserole dish, sprinkled with finely chopped shallots.
Pour the Riesling and the fish broth around the medaillons. Simmer the medaillons for 15 to 20 minutes in a slow oven. Remove from the oven and place on a warmed serving dish. Put the cooking liquid in a pot, add the cream and reduce over low heat. Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the salmon. Bon appétit!