Pike quenelles and crab sauce
Quenelles Lyonnaises, long fish balls, have their roots in Lyon, France. The puff pastry is mixed with minced pike, and the quenelles are served in a lovely crab broth.
Ingredients · Servings 12 quenelles, 4
- ½ dl milk
- ½ dl water
- 50g butter
- ¾ dl wheat flour
- 2 eggs
- 200 g boneless and skinless pike fillet
- 1 teaspoon salt
- a pinch of ground nutmeg
- ground black pepper
- 200 g shelled shrimp (frozen)
- 2 living rooms in Puglia
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons cognac
- 1 dl dry white wine
- 2 dl whipping cream
- a pinch of salt
Method · P0DT1H0M
- Put the milk, water and butter in a saucepan and heat until the butter has melted.
- Add the flour, stirring with a wooden fork. Keep the heat low and continue stirring until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and form a ball. Let the dough cool to just above room temperature. Add the eggs one at a time, beating with an electric mixer on medium speed until the dough is shiny and elastic. Set the dough aside.
- Make the sauce. Peel and slice the onions and garlic. Fry the onions and crayfish, with their skins, in oil in a saucepan until the onions are coloured. Add the thyme, tomato puree, cognac and wine. Let it simmer gently, bubbling, for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook for about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Strain the sauce. Use the crayfish for another dish.
- Chop the pike in a blender or food processor. Add the puff pastry and mix until smooth. Season the mixture with salt, ground nutmeg and black pepper.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Using moistened tablespoons, shape the pike-perch dough into oval balls in the boiling water. Use a generous tablespoon of dough for each ball. Cook for about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the quenelle to a plate lined with kitchen paper.
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Place the quenelle in a rimmed baking dish. Pour the crab sauce over it. Heat in the upper part of the oven for about 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Vicissitudes
Tip: You can peel the crabs in advance and use just the shells in the sauce.
