TVHF Quenelles of Pike.pdf - Raymond Blanc

SERVES (YIELD): 7 PORTIONS / 140G SAUCE
DIFFICULTY RATING: •••
PREPARATION TIME: 60 MIN
COOKING TIME: 30 MIN
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Tweezers, food processor,
large sauté pan, large
casserole
PLANNING AHEAD: Ask your fishmonger to scale
and bone the fish for you. The
fondue of tomatoes must be
prepared in advance.
I NGREDIENTS
For the quenelles
440g Pike fillet, scaled and boned, cut into pieces and
chilled to 4C
10g sea salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 whole, medium organic eggs
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
300ml whipping cream
(extra 300ml after chilling for half a day)
For the tomato fondue
200g plum tomatoes chopped
20g tomato puree
1 tbsp olive oil
For the crayfish sauce
35 medium Crayfish, heads & claws
100ml Groundnut Oil,
120g/1 small onion, peeled, finely diced
40g/½ small carrot, washed, peeled, finely sliced
40g/¼ bulb fennel, washed, finely diced
20g/¼ stick celery, washed, finely diced
1 clove garlic
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
12 leaves tarragon
2 sprigs parsley
60ml/4tbsp Cognac, boiled
400ml dry white wine, reduced by one third
300ml cold water
4g arrowroot, diluted in 10g of water
400ml whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Ingredients continued on next page
THE VERY HUNGRY
FRENCHMAN
Quenelles
of Pike
with Crayfish Sauce
The revered Lyon dish: Quenelles de Brochet (pike). These delicate
white dumplings are served baked with a freshwater crayfish sauce.
PREPARING THE TOMATO FONDUE
1 Cook the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree in the olive oil in a
saucepan covered with a lid. Reserve overnight.
PREPARING THE QUENELLE MIXTURE
2 Take the fish and tweeze out any large bones running down the
middle of the fillet, then roughly chop the fish and puree in a food
processor with the salt and cayenne pepper. With the motor running,
add the eggs one by one, finally adding the creamed butter until
the mixture is completely smooth. Turn out into a mixing bowl and
refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3 Place the bowl on ice and slowly incorporate most of the cream.
Taste, correct the seasoning, then force the mixture through a fine
sieve.
4 Test the mixture by shaping a tiny quenelle with 2 teaspoons and
poach in water just below boiling point for 4 minutes. Taste and
correct the seasoning, adding the remaining cream if necessary. Cover
with clingfilm and place in the fridge.
PREPARING THE CRAYFISH
1 Wash the crayfish under cold running water for a few minutes then
drain in a colander. Twist off the tails and reserve the heads and claws
for the sauce.
2 Pinch the middle of the tails and pull out the black intestines, then
pan-fry the tails for 30 seconds in hot olive oil. Season with 2 pinches
of salt and 4 turns of pepper, then add the Cognac, tarragon, garlic
and 4 tablespoons cold water. Season with salt, pepper and a
squeeze of lemon juice. Cover and leave to stand for 30 seconds.
3 Strain the juices into a small container and leave the tails to cool
before shelling. Add the tails to the juices, and add a teaspoon of
boiled cognac, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate. Keep the shells for
the sauce.
PREPARING THE SAUCE
1 In a large sauté pan, heat the oil until smoking hot, then sear the
crayfish heads and claws in 2 batches for about 2 mins, until they turn
bright red. *2 In a separate large (26cm) saucepan over a medium heat,
sweat the diced vegetables, garlic and herbs in 50ml of the oil for 5
minutes, stirring from time to time.
Continued on next page...
EPISODE
THREE

For the Crayfish tails
35 freshwater Crayfish tails *1
30ml/2tbsp groundnut oil
30ml/2tbsp Cognac
1g/4 leaves Tarragon
¼ clove garlic, sliced
60ml/4tbsp Water, cold
Salt, pepper and a dash of lemon juice
1 tsp Cognac
CHEF’S NOTES & TIPS *
1 Crayfish must be bought alive or the serum
holding the flesh together will leak out and they
will lose their texture once cooked.
2 The searing oil is vital to the flavour of the sauce.
During this stage there will be a specific moment
when the scent is obvious and pleasant; at
this point, reduce the heat and put in the diced
vegetables and herbs to sweat.
3 To give the sauce a better colour and flavour,
grind the crayfish carcass in a food processor or
large pestle and mortar.
4 When poaching the quenelles the water must
not boil, or it will destroy the delicacy of the
quenelles, which must be barely cooked at this
stage, since they will be simmering in the sauce
for 8 minutes, during which the exchange of
flavours will take place, producing a wonderful
aroma; the light sauce will reduce to a luscious
velvety texture and the quenelles will expand,
becoming extremely light, delicate and fluffy.
Variations:
Zander, though milder than pike, can also be used. It
is quite delicious. The sauce can be made with lobster
or langoustines instead of freshwater crayfish.
THE VERY HUNGRY
FRENCHMAN
EPISODE
THREE
2 Deglaze the shells with the Cognac and wine and boil for 1 minute. Add
the tomato fondue and the cold water, bring back to the boil, skim and
simmer for about 20 minutes.
3 Force the stock through a hard sieve *3 , pressing with a wooden spoon
to extract as much juice as possible, then pass through a fine sieve into
a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, skim and reduce by about 100ml.
Finally add the cream and boil for 2 minutes.
4 Preheat the oven to 220°C.
SHAPING AND POACHING THE QUENELLES
(optional, you can quenelle the mixture directly into the dish and cook
without par poaching) *4
1 Have ready 1 large tablespoon in a jug of warm water.
2 Three-quarters fill a large saucepan with lightly salted water, bring to the
boil and reduce heat to just below simmering point.
3 Using a warm tablespoon, scoop out a large spoonful of mousse and
use the second spoon to mould an egg shape or quenelle. Form all the
mousse mixture into quenelles and poach in the simmering water for
about 4 minutes.
SIMMERING THE QUENELLES & CRAYFISH
TAILS IN THE SAUCE
1 Lightly brush your ovenproof dishes with a film of butter.
2 Remove the poached quenelles and drain on absorbent paper, then
arrange in the dish, leaving some space between them for expansion.
Pour the sauce around. Bring to simmering point, cook in the preheated
oven for 8 minutes. Add the crayfish tails during the final 5 minutes.