Pike Quenelles with Nantua Sauce

Finely ground pike flesh bound with a buttery panade and puffed to perfection. The crayfish sauce generously coats the quenelles, which must be airy and meltingly tender.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Hard
• Calories: 1024
• Protein: 57 g
• Carbs: 38 g
• Fat: 69 g

Ingredients

• 600 g Northern pike ( filleted and boneless flesh )
• 200 g Minimum butter sweet ( diced )
• 150 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 250 ml Whole milk
• 6 piece Egg ( beaten )
• 300 g Crayfish ( whole )
• 250 ml Cream
• 100 ml Dry white wine
• 2 piece Shallot ( finely chopped )
• 1 pinch Nutmeg ( grated )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch White pepper ground
• 1 tbsp Tomato caviar
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste

Instructions

1. Preparing the panade

   In a saucepan, heat the milk and butter. When boiling, add the flour all at once. Work vigorously with a spatula until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a film on the bottom. Let cool completely.

2. Preparing the pike

   Blend the pike flesh very finely. Pass it through a fine sieve to remove the last bones. This is crucial for a silky texture.

3. Assembling the mixture

   Incorporate the cold panade into the pike flesh. Add the eggs one by one while working the dough. It should become smooth, shiny, and have body. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

4. Poaching the quenelles

   Form cylinders using two tablespoons. Plunge them into simmering salted water. When they rise to the surface and turn on themselves, they are cooked. Drain on a cloth.

5. Making the Nantua sauce

   Sauté the crayfish and shallots. Deglaze with white wine, let reduce by half. Add the cream, tomato caviar, and tomato paste. Simmer until the sauce coats the back of the spoon.

6. Finishing and gratinating

   Arrange the quenelles in a baking dish, coat with sauce. Bake at 200°C. The quenelles should puff up and the sauce should turn a golden and appetizing color.

Chef's tips

• The secret lies in cooling the panade: if it's hot, it will cook the eggs prematurely.
• The poaching water must never boil vigorously, otherwise the quenelles will burst.
• For even lighter quenelles, let the mixture rest in the fridge for 12 hours before shaping them.

Storage

Poached quenelles can be kept for 2 days in the refrigerator in their cold cooking water or wrapped in cling film. They freeze very well after poaching.