Home › The Principles of Cookery › VEAL QUENELLES (an entree)

VEAL QUENELLES (an entree)

Take a slice of lean veal from the leg, cut it into long thin strips, and scrape it with a knife till nothing but the fibre remains. Put the flesh in a mortar, pound for ten minutes, then pass it through a wire sieve on to a plate. Put back in a mortar six ounces of the veal thus prepared, also four ounces of panada, and three ounces of fresh butter. Pound these ingredients together till they are perfectly blended and form a smooth paste, and add gradually a little pepper, salt, and pounded mace or grated nutmeg. The more the forcemeat is pounded the better it will be. Moisten gradually with two whole eggs, and pound it again. Poach a small ball in boiling water to see if the forcemeat is light, fine, and delicately flavoured. If it is not sufficiently firm, add the yolk only of another egg. The white will only serve to render the quenelles hollow and puffy inside. A small quantity of white sauce will improve the forcemeat, which should be kept in a cool place till wanted. Half an hour before the quenelles are to be served mould the forcemeat with a dessert-spoon. (see QUENELLES), and throw them into fast-boiling water slightly salted. When they are done enough to take them up, put them on a dish, pour on them half a pint of nicely-flavoured white sauce, and serve very hot. Mushrooms or truffles may be added to the sauce if liked. Time to poach the quenelles, about fifteen minutes. Probable cost, veal, 1s. 1d. per pound. Sufficient for a small dish.