Potato, anchovy and rosemary soufflés

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and ensure there is an oven shelf in the centre of the oven. Place a metal baking tray in the oven to heat. Grease six 375 ml capacity ramekins (they need to have straight, vertical sides for the soufflés to rise) and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
2. Put the potatoes, garlic and salt in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium–high heat and boil until very tender, about 12 minutes, testing with the point of a sharp knife. Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan over low heat for 1 minute to ensure any excess water has evaporated. Set the garlic aside.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium–low heat. Stir in the anchovies until they almost dissolve into the butter, using the back of the spoon to mash them, about 2 minutes.
4. Mash the potatoes and measure 460 g into a large mixing bowl. Mash the garlic into the potatoes until very smooth, or pass through a ricer. Pour in the anchovy butter and stir until smooth. Add the buttermilk, parmesan, chives, rosemary and pepper and stir until creamy. Taste and add sea salt and more pepper if needed. Stir the egg yolks into the potato mixture until completely incorporated.
5. In a clean mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they are white and stiff, about 2–3 minutes. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold about a quarter of the egg whites into the potato mixture to loosen. Slowly fold through the remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain in the mixture.
6. Divide the mixture among the ramekins. Remove the baking tray from the oven. Place the ramekins on the tray and place on the centre shelf of the oven. Bake until the soufflés are beautifully puffed and golden, about 25–30 minutes. As they cook, admire the rising soufflés through the oven window, but don’t open the oven door until near the end of the cooking time.
7. Like all soufflés, these are best served immediately.