Ingredients

• 40g/1½oz butter
• plus extra for greasing
• 40g/1½oz plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 350ml/12fl oz milk
• 225g/8oz cheddar cheese
• grated
• 1tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 free-range eggs
• separated
• 4 scallops
• removed from their shells
• roe removed and cleaned
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 30g/1oz butter
• 2 shallots
• roughly chopped
• 1 carrot
• roughly chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cooked lobster
• meat removed
• shells chopped and reserved
• 12 cooked langoustines
• shell removed and chopped
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 75ml/2½fl oz white wine
• 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
• 75ml/2½fl oz double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 400g/14oz clams
• or cockles
• cleaned (discard any that remain open after rinsing)
• 400g/14oz mussels
• cleaned
• beards removed (discard any that remain open after rinsing)
• 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
• 8 baby turnips
• trimmed
• halved top to bottom
• 12 baby carrots
• trimmed
• 8 asparagus spears
• trimmed
• 15g/½oz butter
• 3 tbsp fresh chervil
• to garnish

Directions

• For the soufflés
• preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Rub the inside of four ramekins with butter
• then dust with flour and place in a high-sided oven tray.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over a medium heat
• then add the flour and mix well.
• Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes
• stirring with a wooden spoon. Gradually whisk in the milk
• a little at a time
• stirring constantly to avoid any lumps forming. Continue until all the milk has been used
• then reduce the heat to very low and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add 125g/4½oz of the cheese and mustard
• then beat the egg yolks into the mixture and season with salt and pepper.
• In a clean
• dry bowl
• whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks when the whisk is removed from the bowl
• then fold them into the soufflé mixture.
• Divide half the mixture among the soufflé dishes and drop a whole scallop in each
• then add the rest of the mix. Pour enough hot water into the oven tray to reach halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake the soufflés for 15-20 minutes
• or until they are risen and evenly browned.
• Remove the dishes from the tin and set aside for a few minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the soufflés and turn them out onto individual ovenproof dishes.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high. Coat the tops of the soufflés with the cream
• then scatter over the remaining cheese and place under the grill until the tops are golden-brown.
• For the shellfish sauce
• heat a large frying pan
• add 15g/½oz of butter
• the shallots
• carrot and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes
• or until just softened but not coloured.
• Add the lobster and langoustine shells
• cayenne pepper and tomato purée and cook for one minute.
• Add the white wine and flambé the liquid by slowly tilting the pan towards the gas flame to set alight
• or lighting it with a match. Let the flames flare up then die down. (CAUTION: keep your face and hair away from the flames. Do not leave unattended.)
• Add the chicken stock
• bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Blend in a food processor to a purée. Press the mixture through a fine sieve into a saucepan
• whisk in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• For the clams and mussels
• heat a large
• lidded saucepan and add the clams
• mussels and white wine. Put the lid on and cook for 2-3 minutes
• or until all of the clams and mussels have opened. (Discard any clams or mussels that do not open fully.)
• For the vegetables
• cook the turnips and carrots in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes
• then add the asparagus
• and boil for a minute. Drain and pat dry. Heat a frying pan until hot
• add the butter and fry the vegetables for 1-2 minutes
• or until pale golden-brown.
• Heat a frying pan until hot
• add the butter and fry the vegetables for 1-2 minutes
• or until pale golden-brown.
• Heat another frying pan
• add 15g/½oz of butter and fry the lobster meat and langoustine meat for about 1-2 minutes on each side.
• To serve
• place a soufflé on each serving plate. Garnish with the cooked shellfish
• baby vegetables
• sauce and chervil.