Quenelles de crevettes (shrimp quenelles)

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ pounds Shrimp, peel, devein
¼ pounds Sole or flounder fillet skinned and cut into 1\" pieces
2 Egg whites
2 ounces Shrimp, peel, devein, poach and dice (about 1/2 cup)
1½ cup Fish veloute sauce
⅓ cup Fish stock
2 cups Fish stock
2 tablespoons Butter
2 pounds Fish heads, bones and trimmings rinsed and broken
1 Onion, sliced
1 Carrot, sliced
1 Leek, sliced
1 cup Heavy cream
¾ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon White pepper
⅛ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Fish stock (optional)
⅓ cup Heavy cream
1 tablespoon Tomato sauce, spiced, reduce to 1 teaspoon
2 tablespoons Flour
1 Celery rib, diced
1 Boquet garni
2 quarts Water
2 cups Dry white wine

Directions

THICK SHRIMP SAUCE

FISH VELOUTE SAUCE

FISH STOCK

Fish Stock: Place fish, vegetables and boquet garni in a large non-reactive pot. Add water and bring to a boil over low heat. Skim the top until no more scum rises then cover the pot and simmer 15 minutes. Add wine and simmer, covered, another 15 minutes. Strain the stock into a deep bowl through a colander lined with a double layer of cheesecloth. Cool the stock then cover and refigerate overnight or until the stock has set to an aspic. Remove fat from the surface.

Fish Veloute Sauce: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat.

Stir in flour to make a roux and cook, stirring 2-3 minutes. Pour the stock into the pan, whisking constantly. Raise the heat and continue to whisk until the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and move the saucepan half off the heat so that liquid on one side of the pan simmers. A skin of impurities will form on the still side. Remove the skin periodically with a spoon. Cook the sauce about 40 minutes to reduce and eliminate the taste of flour.

Thick Shrimp Sauce: Combine the fish veloute sauce, fish stock and heavy cream in a pan. Over high heat reduce the mixture by one quarter. Strain it through a fine-meshed sieve. Adjust seasoning and keep sauce warm over hot water. At serving time stir in tomato sauce and diced shrimp.

To make Quenelles: Finely grind shrimp and fish in a blender or food processor. Transfer meat to a bowl. Slowly add egg whites and heavy cream, mixing continuously. Season the mixture with salt, white papper and cayenne. Dip a large soupspoon in hot water and scoop up a heaping amount of the mixture. Using another spoon, round off the mixture to make an egg-shaped quenelle and place it into a large buttered saute pan or fireproof cooking dish. Cover the quenelles with simmering salted water or fish stock. Cover and simmer 3 minutes. Turn the quenelles over, cover and cook another 3 minutes or until they rise in the cooking liquid. Drain quenelles on paper towels, arrange in a serving dish and cover each quenelle with shrimp sauce.

Note: Set the quenelle mixing bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice and beat the egg white into the mixture a little at a time, making sure each bit is mixed well before proceeding. Whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form, then still working over ice, beat the cream into the mixture by spoonfulls until ingredients are throughly mixed.

If the mixture is to properly absorb the cream, the mixture must

be kept cold during the process.

Submitted By ART BARRON On 12-30-94

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