Quenelles de brochet in tomato-cream sauce Recipe
Quenelles are light, oval fish dumplings, especially popular around Lyon. Served in a tomato-cream sauce, they are as delicate as a cloud and very filling. This dish often appears at Sunday lunch, when the family has time to sit at the table together.
This classic Lyonnaise dish combines airy fish quenelles with a rich, velvety tomato-cream sauce. The choux-style base makes the dumplings incredibly light, while baking them in sauce keeps them moist and full of flavor—perfect for a relaxed, elegant family meal.
Chef's tips
Use very fresh, firm white fish for the best texture and flavor. Make sure the choux base is still slightly warm when you add the eggs so it incorporates smoothly. If the mixture seems too loose, chill it briefly in the fridge before shaping the quenelles—it will firm up and be easier to form.
How to serve
Serve the quenelles straight from the oven in the baking dish, with a bowl of fluffy white rice or slices of warm baguette on the side. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette balances the richness of the sauce. Finish with a squeeze of lemon over the quenelles if you like a brighter flavor.
Ingredients
- white fish fillet boneless, e.g. pike-perch, cod - 400 g
- milk - 250 ml
- butter - 60 g
- wheat flour for choux-style dough - 80 g
- egg at room temperature - 2 pieces
- 30% cream - 150 ml
- tomato passata smooth - 300 ml
- onion medium - 1 piece
- garlic - 2 cloves
- nutmeg grated - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
- oil for frying the onion - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Cut the fish into pieces and run your fingers over them to check for bones. If you find any, remove them with tweezers.
- In a saucepan bring the milk to a boil with the butter and a pinch of salt. When it starts to rise, add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes over low heat, until the mixture is smooth, thick, and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside for 5–10 minutes to cool slightly, but keep it warm.
- Add the eggs to the lukewarm mixture one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until you get a smooth, thick dough.
- Blend the fish with a blender into a smooth paste and add it to the dough. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg, and mix. The mixture should be thick but slightly sticky.
- Bring plenty of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Using a spoon dipped in hot water, scoop portions of the mixture and shape them into oval dumplings, gently sliding them into the boiling water.
- Cook the quenelles over low heat for 10–12 minutes, until they float to the surface and puff up slightly. Remove them with a slotted spoon onto a plate.
- Finely chop the onion and press the garlic through a garlic press. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, and fry for 3–5 minutes over medium heat until it softens and becomes slightly translucent without browning. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds.
- Pour in the tomato passata, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes over low heat. Pour in the cream, stir, and heat for another 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Arrange the quenelles in an ovenproof dish and pour over the tomato-cream sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat) and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the sauce is gently bubbling around the edges.
- Serve immediately, preferably with rice or a baguette for mopping up the sauce.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is a comforting, slightly festive dish that’s ideal when you want something special but not overly complicated. Once you get the feel for the quenelle mixture, the recipe becomes very intuitive, and the tomato-cream sauce is forgiving and easy to adapt to your taste.
