PIKE QUENELLE WITH MUSHROOM
Treat your senses to a culinary adventure with this easy and mouth-watering pike quenelles with mushroom salad.
Pike Quenelles with Mushroom Salad: A French specialty
As a food enthusiast and lover of my French culinary heritage, I was immediately drawn to the recipe for pike quenelles with mushroom that I came across in a French cooking magazine. Without hesitation, I bought all the necessary ingredients and put my own spin on it before presenting it to my friends in the South of France. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find authentic fresh quenelles in London, but that did not stop me from exploring this quintessentially French dish.
What are Quenelles?
For those who may not be familiar with quenelles, they are a specialty from Lyon and is believed to have been invented by in the 1830s by a pastry chef named Charles Morateur, according to Felix Benoit in La Cuisine des Traboules (1983). During that time, the waters of the Saône were invaded by pike, and the pastry chef had the brilliant idea of mixing the fish with choux pastry.
The word “quenelle” has been used since at least 1750 and is thought to derive from the German word “Knödel,” meaning noodle or dumpling.
Exploring the Charm of Cassis: A Historical and Culinary Journey
When it comes to wine pairings, I highly recommend trying this dish with a red cassis from Provence.
Cassis, a stunning wine-growing region located in the heart of Provence, has captured the hearts of wine connoisseurs worldwide with its exquisite white, rosé, and red wines.
The Origins of Cassis
Cassis owes its winemaking tradition to the Greeks, who introduced viticulture to the region in 600 BC. The Phocaean Greeks, who founded Marseille, planted the site where Cassis now stands with vines. By the mid-19th century, the region had developed a thriving viticulture that specialized in dessert wine produced with Muscat grapes, which had been introduced to Provence by Good King René in the 15th century.
The Birth of Cassis Appellation
The long winemaking history of Cassis is reflected in its status as one of the oldest plantations in the region, limited to a mere 180 hectares. The Cassis appellation title was created in May 1936, making it one of the first AOCs in France when the AOC system was first put in place. The appellation covers wines produced from approximately 200 hectares of vineyard, which are produced in 12 vineyards ranging in size from six to 40 hectares.
Exploring the Flavors of Cassis Wine
The predominant grape varieties used for Cassis wines are Clairette and Marsanne for white wines and Mourvèdre for red wines. Cassis red wine is renowned for its full-bodied and herb-driven flavour profile, making it a favourite among wine aficionados worldwide. When used to describe wine, the term “cassis” refers to a ripe and concentrated blackcurrant, often used to describe rich and full-bodied red wines.
Wine experts use various descriptors to characterize the flavour of red wine, such as smoky, jammy, raspberry, cherry, and tobacco. A hint of cassis in a wine denotes that the taster is picking up a ripe, concentrated blackcurrant note with a slightly different connotation than fresh currants or currant jam or jelly.
The Enchanting Cassis
Today, Cassis is a small coastal village and wine-producing area, captivating visitors with its breath-taking vistas, pristine beaches, and rich cultural heritage. From its ancient Greek origins to its renowned winemaking tradition, Cassis is a destination that has something for everyone, from the wine connoisseur to the history buff to the casual traveller seeking to indulge in the charm of Provence.
Do not forget to leave a comment and let me know how it turned out! And if you have any variation of this recipe that you would like to share, I would love to hear it. Be sure to check out my other easy-peasy recipes on the blog for more culinary inspiration!
Happy cooking and bonne dégustation!
Sixtine ;)
PIKE QUENELLE WITH MUSHROOM
Ingredients
- 4 fresh pike quenelles cut into 1 cm slices
- Breadcrumbs Panko for me
- 250 g wild mushrooms
- Lamb lettuce
- 1 lemon the juice and zest
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 shallot chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 210 °C.
- Dip the quenelles slices in Panko and put in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, soften the shallot in a little bit of butter.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine the olive oil with the lemon juice, zest and mustard.
- Add the shallot, mushrooms, salad and quenelles.
- Stir delicately and serve!
Salade de quenelles de brochet aux champignons
Pour 2-3 personnes
4 quenelles fraîches de brochet détaillées en rondelles de 1 cm
Chapelure (Panko pour moi)
250 g de champignons des bois émincés
De la mâche
Le jus et zeste d’1 citron
1 cuil-à-café de moutarde
1 échalote ciselée
3 cuil-à-soupe d’huile d’olive
Beurre
Préchauffez votre four à 210 °C.
Recouvrez les rondelles de quenelles de panko.
Enfournez-les pendant 10 minutes.
Dans une poêle, faites revenir les champignons avec l’échalotte dans un petit peu de beurre pendant 5 minutes. Réservez.
Pendant ce temps, dans un saladier, émulsionnez l’huile avec le citron, zeste et la moutarde.
Ajoutez l’échalote, les champignons, la mâche et les quenelles.
Mélangez delicatement et servez!
