Filet of Flounder, Scallion Egg White Souffle and Mantua with Masago Hollandaise

   
     Never a boring breakfast!

     A sweet  mantua steam bun is the bottom layer of this breakfast Napoleon stack.  Sauteed flounder filet topped with a scallion egg white souffle is set on top.  The simple souffle of egg white meringue is placed in a ring mold while grilling, so it retains a round shape.  Souffle simply translates to puff up in French.  Whisked egg whites will souffle!
     Masago is also known as capelin roe.  Masago is popular for sushi roll making.  Mantua steam buns are not difficult to make.  A bamboo steamer with multiple steaming racks is best for making steam buns.  Manua steam buns can also be purchased as a frozen pre-packaged item at asian markets.  I used a pre-made frozen mantua for this recipe. 

     
     Hollandaise Sauce Recipe:
     Save the egg whites from making the hollandaise sauce for making the egg white souffle!  This is a standard hollandaise mother sauce recipe and it is not the old time Le Cordon Bleu of Paris classic Hollandaise recipe that was en vogue fifty years ago.   
     Melt 4 ounces of unsalted butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat.
     Cook the butter, till the milk fats evaporate and till the butter turns a golden color.  The butter should have a light hazelnut aroma.
     Take the pan off of the heat.
     Clarify the butter by pouring it through a fine mesh strainer into a second small sauce pot.
     Leave the cooked butter solids on the bottom of the first pot.  Discard the browned milk fat solids.
     Keep the clarified butter warm over very low heat.
     Place 2 egg yolks into a small mixing bowl.
     Add 1 teaspoon of warm water to the egg yolks while stirring.
     Note:  Add about a 1/2 teaspoon of warm water per egg yolk.  This will make the eggs easy to control while whisking.  The small amount of water will keep the eggs from cooking unevenly.  Too much water added to the yolks will later cause the whisking process to take way too much time.  Do not add lemon juice at the beginning of making a hollandaise sauce!  The sauce will be disproportionately lemon flavored if you do so.  That is the mistake that most inexperienced chefs make.
     Whisk the egg yolks in the mixing bowl over a double boiler set on low heat.
     Constantly whisk, non stop, till the egg yolks puff up and ribbons appear in the egg yolks.  The egg yokes will become a pale yellow color at this time.
     Remove the mixing bowl from the double boiler and immediately whisk the eggs while adding the warm butter one teaspoon at a time, till the eggs start emulsifying with the butter.
     Return the start of the hollandaise to the double boiler.  (You cannot stop whisking at this point or the egg yolks will sieze!)
     Thin stream the melted butter into the egg yolks, while whisking constantly, till the hollandaise sauce is formed.
     Note:  The proportion of butter to eggs is 1 1/2  to 2 ounces of butter per one egg yolk!  Many chefs use a 4 to 1 proportion or a 5 to 1 proportion.  A standard 1 1/2 ounces of butter to 1 egg yolk proportion is the best for a hollandaise that will have a wet ingredient like masago added to it or for glacage broiling applications.
     Remove the mixing bowl from the double boiler.
     Add 1 small squeeze of lemon juice.
     Add 1 pinch of white pepper.
     Add 1 pinch of cayenne pepper.
     Add 1 pinch of sea salt.
     Note:  The hollandaise sauce should have a hint of lemon flavor and it should not taste like a lemon sauce.  The sauce should be rich and it should have a medium sauce consistency.  The hazelnut aroma of the clarified butter is the key flavor!  The cayenne pepper flavor should be barely noticeable.
     Place the Hollandaise in a small ceramic bowl.
     Set the bowl in a bain marie that is set on very low heat to keep it warm.
     Stir the sauce occasionally.
     Hollandaise is a French mother sauce that is used for hundreds of recipes.  The basic hollandaise recipe never changes!
   
     Sauteed Filet of Flounder Recipe:
     Cut a small 4 to 5 ounce flounder filet into 3 equal size pieces that are about the same width as the mantua steam bun.
     Dredge the flounder pieces in flour.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 3 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add the floured flounder filet pieces.
     Saute the flounder pieces on both side, till the filets become a light golden color.
     Season the flounder with white pepper and sea salt.
     Set the cooked flounder pieces aside and keep them warm on a stove top.
   
     Scallion Egg White Souffle:
     Place the 2 reserved egg whites into a small mixing bowl.
     Whisk egg whites, till medium stiff meringue peaks form.
     Fold 1 tablespoon of thin sliced scallion into the egg white meringue.
     Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium low heat.
     Add 2 pats of unsalted butter.
     Select a 3 1/2" to 4" steel ring mold.
     Brush the inside of the steel ring mold with melted unsalted butter.
     Place the steel ring mold on the center of the hot pan.
     Spoon the egg white meringe into the ring mold.
     When the egg whites become halfway cooked, use a spatula to flip the ring mold and egg whites together as one.
     Place the pan in a 350 degree oven for 4 to 6 minutes.
     When the egg white souffle becomes firm, then it is fully cooked.  The egg whites will puff up and the texture will be very light and airy.

     Masago Hollandaise:  
     Add the capelin caviar shortly before serving.
     Stir 1 tablespoon of Capelin Roe (Masago) into the hollandaise sauce.
   
     Filet of Flounder, Scallion Egg White Souffle and Mantua with Masago Hollandaise:
     Warm a mantua steam bun in a steamer. 
     Cut the steam bun into four thin slices.
     Set two steam bun slices on a plate, so they are slightly overlapped.
     Place the other two steam bun slices across the top of the first two steam bun slices, in the opposite direction.
     Place the sauteed flounder pieces on top of the steam bun slices.
     Run a paring knife around the inside of the ring mold to free the scallion egg white souffle.
     Place the egg white souffle on top of the flounder pieces.
     Spoon the masago hollandaise sauce over the breakfast stack.
     Place a small spoonful of masago on top of the stack.
     Serve with a breakfast potato of your choice.  (I served the entree in the pictures with Potatoes Anna.)
   
     Delicious!  The very light flavor of capelin roe caviar is a natural with hollandaise sauce.  The orange capelin roe gives the hollandaise sauce a pretty color.  The light flavor of the flounder goes well with the scallion egg white souffle and the sauce.  The texture of the souffle scallion egg white souffle is fluffy and light.  ...  Shawna