Ingredients:
Quenelles
7 – 8
oz. fish fillet (rockcod,halibut, seabass)
2 eggs
plus 1 egg white
5 fl. oz.
heavy cream
2.1 oz.
unsalted butter (soft, cut in cubes)
Salt,
pepper
Cayenne
pepper
QUENELLES MUST BE REFRIGERATED
OVERNIGHT AT THIS STAGE
Poaching Liquid
1 clove
garlic, cut in half
1 small
twig thyme
2
pinches of salt
Simmering
water in a large pan
Cognac Cream Shrimp Sauce
8.8 oz.
tiger shrimp (shelled) or other crustaceans (crush shells with rolling pin)
1
Tablespoon butter
1
Tablespoon carrot, cut in rough cubes
1
Tablespoon celery, roughly chopped
7 oz.
sliced shallots
1
Tablespoon finely sliced leek (white part)
1 garlic
clove (crushed)
1
Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoons
cognac
Salt,
pepper
11 fl.
oz. fish broth, reduced to 5 oz.
7 oz.
heavy cream
Preparation:
1. Half freeze fish fillets and
place them into a cold food processor bowl.
Blend them to almost a paste for 20-30 seconds.
2. Put the eggs into the processor
with the fish and blend for another 20-30 seconds . Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper,
if desired.
3. Restart the processor and slowly
pour the cream in and after 20-30 seconds add in the butter. Process another 20-30 seconds.
4. Transfer the mixture into a clean
bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap on top, ensuring that the wrap is in
total contact with the mix.
Place
in the refrigerator overnight.
Poach
quenelles the following day.
- Bring a pan of water to a simmer
then add garlic, thyme and salt.
- Using a deep dessert spoon
(heated in hot water then dried) scoop enough mixture to form a quenelle shape
and place into the simmering water.
Repeat the process until you have the desired number of quenelles.
- Cook quenelles 15 minutes, turning
the quenelles over every 5 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, the quenelles
will be cooked and should be placed on a paper towel to drain.
At
this point, the quenelles can be eaten with a hollandaise sauce, a warmed
beurre blanc, but they will be better with a Cognac Cream Shrimp Sauce.
Make the Sauce
1. Melt the butter in a saute pan on
high heat and color the shrimp shells.
Add the carrot, garlic, shallots, celery and leeks and mix in. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat a little and add tomato
paste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 2 minutes.
2. Raise the heat, and when the pan
is heated, add the cognac and (making sure the exhaust fan is off) burn off the
alcohol and mix again.
3. Add the cream, turn down the heat
and mix well. Allow cream to reduce a
little.
4. Reduce the heat to a
minimum. Taste the sauce and correct the
seasoning if necessary. Cayenne pepper
may also be added. Turn off the heat.
5. Poach the shelled shrimp tails in
fish for a few minutes. Remove and
reserve them.
6. When the fish stock is adequately
reduced, pass the cream sauce through a sieve into the stock. Press down on the sauce to extract as much of
the flavor as possible. Reduce the stock
and sauce to a spoon coating consistency.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
ensuring the top element is on.
8. Place the quenelles in an
ovenproof dish and surround with the diced shrimp. Ladle sufficient sauce through a sieve over
the quenelles to fill the dish halfway.
Place the dish towards the top of
the oven and cook for 10 minutes, by which time the quenelles will be ready to
serve.
Variation:
Try different types of
fish such as salmon, or veal and chicken.
History:
Recipe
comes from the French Cooking Academy.
