Aquenelle (French pronunciation:[kə.nɛl]) is a mixture ofcreamedfish ormeat, sometimes combined withbreadcrumbs, with a light egg binding, formed into anegg-like shape, and then cooked.[1] The usual preparation is bypoaching. Formerly, quenelles were often used as agarnish inhaute cuisine. Today, they are more commonly served sauced as a dish in their own right. Similar items are found in many cuisines.
By extension, a quenelle may also be another food made into a similar shape, such asice cream,sorbet,butter, ormashed potato quenelles.[2]
The word quenelle is attested from 1750. The commonly accepted etymology is that it derives from the GermanKnödel (noodle ordumpling).[3]
Lyon andNantua are famous for theirquenelles de brochet (pike quenelles), often served withsauce Nantua (crayfish sauce) orsauce mousseline (cream sauce) and run under agrill. The classic dish ofquenelles de brochet Nantua or simplyquenelles Nantua consists of pike quenelles with sauce Nantua, both pike and crayfish being specialties of the Nantua area.[4] Pike quenelles were invented by a chef named Bontemps to deal with the pike's "multitude of long, fine, forked bones".[5][6]
Quenelles de brochet are prepared in many ways, but most recipes first prepare apanade, essentially a thickwhite sauce, then combine the panade with fish, and put the mixture through a sieve such as atamis, yielding aforcemeat. The quenelles are shaped from the forcemeat and then poached. They may be served sauced and grilled, or with a variety of sauces.[7]
 | This article aboutFrench cuisine is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
