Pike Quenelles, Blonde Sauce
A light mousse of freshwater fish, poached then gratinéed under a golden sauce: the accessible luxury of the Lyonnais bourgeoisie.
A light mousse of freshwater fish, poached then gratinéed under a golden sauce: the accessible luxury of the Lyonnais bourgeoisie.
At Poleymieux, feast days called for the quenelle—that cloud of pike that the cooks of Lyon know how to make as light as a feather. The fish is pounded at length, mixed with a panade and butter, and these spindles are poached in simmering water before being coated with a blonde sauce. It is a dish that requires both hand and heart; my mother, pious and patient, put both into it.
- •Pike flesh — a nice piece (base)
- •Butter — in proportion (softness)
- •Panade (bread, milk, flour) — as needed for binding (binder)
- •Eggs — a few (binder)
- •Flour, butter, broth, cream — for the sauce (sauce)
Pike Quenelles, Blonde Sauce
A light mousse of freshwater fish, poached then gratinéed under a golden sauce: the accessible luxury of the Lyonnais bourgeoisie.
Why this dish? Born near Lyon, Ampère grew up in the land of the quenelle, a pride of Lyonnais tables and a Sunday family dish before life led him to Paris.
At Poleymieux, feast days called for the quenelle—that cloud of pike that the cooks of Lyon know how to make as light as a feather. The fish is pounded at length, mixed with a panade and butter, and these spindles are poached in simmering water before being coated with a blonde sauce. It is a dish that requires both hand and heart; my mother, pious and patient, put both into it.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pike flesh — a nice piece (base)
- Butter — in proportion (softness)
- Panade (bread, milk, flour) — as needed for binding (binder)
- Eggs — a few (binder)
- Flour, butter, broth, cream — for the sauce (sauce)
Ingredients
- Pike fillet (or whiting) — 300 g (base)
- Butter — 100 g + 30 g for sauce (softness)
- Flour — 80 g (panade) + 30 g (sauce) (binder)
- Milk — 200 ml (panade)
- Eggs — 3 (binder)
- Fish broth — 300 ml (sauce)
- Cream — 100 ml (sauce)
- Nutmeg, salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Prepare a thick panade: bring milk and butter to a boil, add the flour all at once and dry it out like a choux pastry; let cool.
- Finely blend the pike flesh, incorporate the panade, softened butter, then the eggs one by one; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Shape quenelles with a spoon and poach them for 10 minutes in simmering water (do not boil); they swell and rise.
- Make a blonde sauce (light roux + fish broth + cream), coat the quenelles in a dish and gratiné in the oven for 15 minutes.
How it was made : The Lyonnais quenelle was worked by hand, the fish pounded in a mortar for an hour. It was the prestige dish of Sundays and communion meals, a sign of careful cooking without being aristocratic.
The contemporary twist : Golden quenelle presented on a mirror of sauce, sprinkled with fresh herbs and a lemon zest for freshness.
André-Marie Ampère · Charactorium
