Quenelle de Brochet (White Fish Mousse)
Master the soul of Lyon with this silky, cloud-like fish mousse that exemplifies French bistro elegance. We've decoded the traditional poaching technique to ensure a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture every single time.
Reverse-engineered from L'Entrepôt de la Croix · Lyon
Ingredients
for 2 servings
- 500 gwhite fish fillets (cod, haddock, or pollock) — skin removed and deboned
- 100 gunsalted butter
- 50 gall-purpose flour
- 250 mlwhole milk
- 2large egg yolks
- 2shallots — finely minced
- 3 clovesgarlic cloves — minced
- 1 bunchfresh parsley — finely chopped
- 250 mlheavy cream
- 100 glarge shrimp — peeled and deveinedoptional
- 1 tbsplemon juice
- to tastesea salt
- to tastewhite pepper
Equipment
checked against your kitchen
- ✓stovetop
What cooks learned
Only 5 cooks have logged this one in Cook Mode so far — not enough to say anything about where it goes wrong.
Method
- 1
Simmer the white fish fillets in a pot of water with half of the minced shallots, garlic, and parsley for 8-10 minutes until just opaque. Drain and let cool.
15 min · 5 min attentionDone when: the fish flakes easily with a fork
→ poached fish
- 2parallel track
Create the panada: In a heavy-bottomed skillet, melt 50g of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes to create a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk until thickened into a dense paste.
10 minDone when: the mixture coats the back of a spoon like thick gravy
→ panada
- 3
Temper the eggs by whisking them into the warm panada, then remove from heat and stir in the remaining 50g of butter.
3 min→ enriched panada
- 4
waits for: steps 1 and 3
Flake the poached fish and fold it into the cooled panada mixture along with the remaining shallots, garlic, and parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper.
10 min→ quenelle base
- 5
Shape the mixture into large, smooth oval quenelles (about 4 inches long) using two spoons. Place in a buttered baking dish and poach in a shallow bath of milk and water at 150C for 20 minutes.
25 min · 5 min attention150°C internal⏱ the quenelles are firm to the touch and hold their shape · 25 minDone when: the quenelles are firm to the touch and hold their shape
→ cooked quenelles
- 6parallel track
For the sauce: Sauté the remaining shallots in butter until soft. Add the heavy cream, shrimp (if using), and a splash of lemon juice. Reduce by half until thickened.
10 minDone when: the sauce coats the back of a spoon
→ cream sauce
- 7
waits for: steps 5 and 6
Serve the quenelles warm, nestled in a shallow pool of the cream sauce and garnished with fresh parsley.
2 min · 1 min attention