Quenelles de brochet, sauce Nantua
Preparation
Why this wine?
Good to know
Tips & insights
- Cook a firm panade from milk, butter and flour and let it cool well before working in fish and eggs.
- Purée the pike fillet very finely and keep the mixture cold, so the quenelles turn light and airy when poached.
- Poach a test quenelle in salted water and check the seasoning before you shape the whole mixture.
- Let the quenelles only barely simmer in the water, never boil, or they fall apart.
- For the sauce Nantua, render the crayfish shells vigorously; the red oil gives colour and depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which wine pairs with quenelles de brochet, sauce Nantua?
The Caprice. With crystalline acidity and flinty minerality it cuts clearly through the rich crayfish sauce and lifts the fine marine note of the Nantua. For more body, choose the Louré, whose broad, mineral body carries the cream and plays around the delicate sweetness of the pike.
How do the quenelles turn light and airy?
Cool the rendered panade well and purée pike, eggs and panade into a fine, cold mixture. Shape dumplings and poach them in only barely simmering salted water. A rolling boil makes them fall apart; gentle heat makes them airy and tender.
What is the sauce Nantua?
The sauce Nantua is a classic sauce made of crayfish, named after the town by the lake of the same name. From crayfish shells, butter, tomato paste and cream comes a velvety, pink sauce with a fine marine aroma. A dash of Cognac and a pinch of cayenne give it depth and warmth.
Can I prepare the quenelles ahead?
Yes. You can poach them a few hours ahead and chill them, then warm them gently in the sauce Nantua and lightly gratinate them in the oven. You can also prepare the mixture and keep it raw and cold. Then shape and poach the quenelles just before serving.
