Smoky kipper and chive soufflés

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6 with a baking tray inside. Put the kipper fillets in a wide pan and pour over the milk to cover. Put on a medium heat until steaming, then turn the heat as low as it will go and poach the fish for 5 minutes. Set the pan aside for 10 minutes to infuse.
2. Meanwhile, grease the dishes generously with butter (see Know How). Put 30g of the bread in a mini food processor and whizz to fine crumbs. Scatter these all over the buttered insides of the dishes and set aside. Put the remaining bread in the processor and pulse to chunky crumbs. Set aside.
3. Once the milk has infused, remove the cooked fish from the milk and break it carefully into large chunks. Check these for bones, then divide between the dishes. Reserve 300ml of the milk and discard the rest.
4. Melt 50g of the butter in a small saucepan with the flour and mustard powder over a medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, keep stirring for 3-4 minutes until the mixture smells biscuity. Gradually pour in the reserved milk, stirring well – the mixture should soon thicken, then thin out slightly into a smooth paste. Once all the milk has been added, scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl. Cool for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the egg yolks, horseradish and  most of the chives. Taste the mixture and season well – it should be slightly too salty at this point.
5. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks (see Be A Better Cook) using an electric mixer or balloon whisk. Stir 1 tbsp of the whites into the sauce mix using a metal spoon or spatula, then gently fold in the rest in 3 additions using a figure-of-eight motion.
6. Carefully divide the mixture between the dishes, then level the tops. Transfer the soufflés to the baking tray in the oven, and cook for 30-35 minutes until risen and golden on top but still with a wobble in the middle.
7. When the soufflés have around 10-12 minutes left, heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Fry the reserved breadcrumbs, stirring often, for around 6-7 minutes, until golden and crisp. Turn up the heat, add the remaining butter with the lemon zest and juice, and cook for 3-4 minutes more until the butter has browned and the crumbs are crisp again. Season with salt, stir in the remaining chives and set aside.
8. Once the soufflés are golden, risen and wobbly, remove them from the oven. Bring the buttery breadcrumbs back to a sizzle, then either dig into the soufflés with a spoon and sprinkle the crumbs into the hole or scatter them over the top. Serve immediately with a sharply dressed green salad and lemon wedges for squeezing over.