Quenelles de Brochet

Ingredients

• 1400g pike or sea bass fillets, bones removed
• 2200g unsalted butter, cold, diced
• 3250ml whole milk
• 4150g plain flour
• 54 eggs
• 6Salt, white pepper, and nutmeg
• 7For the sauce: 250ml double cream, 100ml white wine, 2 shallots, 30g butter, fish stock
• 8Gruyère cheese, grated, for topping

Instructions

1. 1Make the panade: bring milk and 50g butter to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until dough pulls from sides. Cool.
2. 2Blend fish in a food processor until smooth. Add cold butter in cubes, blend. Add panade, blend. Add eggs one at a time. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Chill for 30 minutes.
3. 3Shape quenelles with two wet spoons into oval dumplings. Poach in gently simmering salted water for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until puffed and cooked through.
4. 4Make cream sauce: sauté shallots in butter, add wine, reduce, add cream and fish stock. Simmer to coat a spoon. Season.
5. 5Place quenelles in an oven dish. Pour cream sauce over. Top with grated Gruyère.
6. 6Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
7. 7Serve immediately with steamed rice or crusty baguette.