Tour de France '20 - Stage 14: Clermont-Ferrand to Lyon.
Bienvenue à Lyon, the gastronomic capital of the world! This meal paid proper respect to the culinary diversity of Lyon, so who better to consult than the godfather of French cuisine, Jacques Pepin. I made quenelles of flounder, chicken liver timbale and a fresh tomato sauce with mushrooms. Quenelles are a hybrid, texturally speaking, of gnocchi and a matzoh ball, except they are a purée of fish and butter, a panade, and cream. The timbale is like a thin, decadent and savory sponge-like cake that smells almost like zucchini bread or a bran muffin when it emerges from its water bath in the oven. The layers of flavor are as intricate as they are complex, but do not counter each other. This culinary adventure pulled me in directions I would not otherwise travel and I was rewarded for every inquisitive step. Even my young daughters were excited to try these new meals with me and they joyously devoured every morsel on their plate (yes, American children eating chicken liver; merci beacoup “Grandpa Jacques”). Force yourself to try something new...you might just love it!
You can find a republication of the recipe, reprinted in The Chicago Tribune, right here! I’d only add that, if you can’t find freshwater fish, use any firm-fleshed white fish you can access. When forming the quenelles, I found that simply wetting my hands and mashing the mixture together was a faster approach and I achieved the proper shape much easier than using two spoons. Also, for the tomato sauce, if you don’t have a food mill, use an immersion blender. These are newer models, but my old one has served me quite well. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender and then pour through a fine-mesh strainer. Finally, if you are scared your timbale will not unmold, simply add everything atop of the timbale and present to your guests that way. An offset spatula helps loosen things and, as long as you're using a quality dish, it should flop right out when you invert the timbale.
Copyright 2020, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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