German Quenelles is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic starter of a milk, butter, cornflour and egg batter that's shaped into rugby ball shapes, stuffed with quenelle forcemeat and poached in milk before being coated in reduced Allemande sauce, breaded and deep fried. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: German Quenelles.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of German Quenelles that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 356.—GERMAN QUENELLES.
Prepare the maize-flour batter as in the foregoing case, adding thereto two ounces of grated Parmesan cheese, and leaving out the parsley; form the quenelles in tablespoons, introducing small balls of any kind of croquet-meat in their centre, which must be covered in with some of the batter, and neatly and securely fastened down, by smoothing over the surface with a small knife frequently dipped in hot water : the milk or water in which the quenelles are poached must not be allowed to boil at all, as that would cause the quenelles to burst ; they must merely simmer gently for about ten minutes ; and having ascertained that they are done, drain and set them to cool upon a dish ; and when cold, dip each quenelle separately in some reduced Allemande sauce; replace them in order on a dish to be left on the ice until they are become firm on the surface; they are then to be egged and bread-crumbed, fried in hot lard, dished on a folded napkin with fried parsley, and served hot.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
420ml milk
120g butter
180g cornflour (cornstarch)
3 eggs
freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
sugar, to taste
60g freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
100g (about) quenelle forcemeat (veal forcemeat or whiting quenelle forcemeat)
reduced Allemande sauce
1 egg, beaten
breadcrumbs, to coat
Method:
Combine the milk and butter in a pan and bring to a boil. As soon as the milk rises quickly stir in he cornflour. Continue stirring the mixture vigourously over the fire until it stops adhering to the sides of the pan. Take off the heat and beat in the eggs, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, a little sugar and the Parmesan cheese.
In the meantime, bring a pan of lightly-salted milk to a simmer (do not allow to boil). For the schpeishlitz dough into quenelles with teaspoons then set a small piece of quenelle forcemeat in the centre and spread the batter over to coat with a knife dipped in hot water. Drop the resultant quenelles into the simmering milk and poach for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a dish then dip in reduced Allemande sauce and set in the refrigerator until firm.
Once the sauce has set, dip the quenelles in the beaten egg, coat in breadcrumbs then drop in hot oil or fat and fry until golden. Serve hot, garnished with fried parsley.
