Pike dumplings with Nantua sauce
6 servings
225 minutes
Pike quenelles with Nantua sauce is an exquisite dish of European cuisine that combines the tenderness of fish with the rich flavor of a creamy crayfish sauce. The recipe originates from French gastronomy, where fishermen traditionally used river fish in culinary masterpieces. Pike quenelles made using classic techniques have an airy texture due to the combination of choux pastry and cream. The Nantua sauce, made from crayfish butter, gives the dish a unique depth of flavor and an appetizing golden hue. This dish is perfect for a formal dinner, delighting guests with its sophistication and rich aromas. The quenelles are baked in the oven under the sauce, making them even more tender, and serving them directly in the baking dish emphasizes their restaurant style.
1
Dissolve 60 grams of flour in a pot by gradually adding cold milk (125 ml) to avoid lumps. Add salt, pepper, and a good pinch of grated nutmeg. Add a beaten egg and mix well. Cook on high heat, stirring constantly for about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Wheat flour: 100 g
- Milk: to taste
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Nutmeg: 3 pieces
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
2
Chop the pike flesh in a blender. Add salt and strain through a sieve, using a tablespoon to help. Gather the boneless meat in a bowl. Add 150 g of cold choux pastry, 100 g of softened butter, 2 eggs, and 25 ml of cream. Mix with a spatula and lightly salt if needed. Refrigerate for half an hour. Use a large plastic spoon to take the mixture from the bowl and form dumplings. Drop the dumplings into a pot of gently simmering water for 10 minutes. Note: do not let the dumplings boil. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place on a clean napkin.
- River pike fillet: 225 g
- Salt: to taste
- Butter: 440 g
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Cream: 275 ml
3
Put a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and brown the heads of the crayfish over medium heat. Caramelize while stirring continuously (the crayfish should not stick to the bottom), add 300 g of butter. Keep the butter on very low heat for 1 hour to absorb the crayfish juice and acquire a reddish color. Remove from heat. Use a ladle to take off the clear part of the butter. Strain through a fine sieve. In a saucepan, sauté washed and finely chopped mushrooms over low heat with a little lemon juice for 4 minutes, then add cream. Cook on low heat for another 15 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve.
- Butter: 440 g
- Crayfish: 1 kg
- Champignons: 150 g
- Lemon: 1 piece
- Cream: 275 ml
4
Prepare the béchamel sauce in another pot. Melt the remaining (40 g) butter, then add flour. Fry for 2-3 minutes over low heat, stirring continuously. Pour in the milk, mix, and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on very low heat, then remove from the stove. The béchamel sauce is ready. Add cream with mushrooms and 100 g of crayfish butter. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Butter: 440 g
- Wheat flour: 100 g
- Milk: to taste
- Cream: 275 ml
- Butter: 440 g
5
Preheat the oven in 'grill' mode. Place the pike quenelles in a baking dish and pour over them the Nantua sauce. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and serve hot directly in the dish they were baked.