Aquenelle (French pronunciation: [kə.nɛl]) is a mixture of creamed fishormeat, sometimes combined with breadcrumbs, with a light egg binding, formed into an egg-like shape, and then cooked.[1] The usual preparation is by poaching. Formerly, quenelles were often used as a garnishinhaute 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 as ice cream, sorbet, butter, or mashed potato quenelles.[2]
The word quenelle is attested from 1750. The commonly accepted etymology is that it derives from the German Knödel (noodleordumpling).[3]
Lyon and Nantua are famous for their quenelles de brochet (pike quenelles), often served with sauce Nantua (crayfish sauce) or sauce mousseline (cream sauce) and run under a grill. The classic dish of quenelles de brochet Nantua or simply quenelles 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 a panade, essentially a thick white sauce, then combine the panade with fish, and put the mixture through a sieve such as a tamis, yielding a forcemeat. The quenelles are shaped from the forcemeat and then poached. They may be served sauced and grilled, or with a variety of sauces.[7]
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