Meat souffle and Quenelles
Print recipeIngredients
- 450g minced beef, or blended pork and veal
- 1 medium slice day-old or stale bread
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 heaped teaspoon butter, melted
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- cayenne pepper or chilli powder, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup white, or bechamel sauce, to serve
Note
This ‘souffle’ is more like a finely textured meatloaf. ‘Quenelles’ were made in the same way, but formed into small football shapes and poached or steamed. You may prefer to pan fry the meat once formed into shape, and finish off in the oven for more colour; similarly you can flavour the white sauce if you wish, or substitute with gravy. These changes would spoil the authenticity of the dishes, however.
They were served with mashed potato and ‘macedoine’ or a mix of diced vegetables.
Directions
| Pound the meat in a mortar and pestle until smooth, or process in a food processor for a few minutes. | |
| Place the bread in a shallow dish, pour the milk and butter over and allow it to absorb, adding a little extra milk if necessary. Transfer the meat to a bowl, add the bread, eggs and seasonings and combine well, using your hands or a fork to blend through. Return the mixture to the mortar and pestle or food processor, and pound or process until the bread is fully incorporated. (The original recipe instructs to then push the meat through a wire sieve, but if using a food processor this should not be necessary.) | |
| Form the meat into a log or round loaf shape. Place the meat onto a steaming rack over a few centimetres of boiling water in a deep saucepan (or stand a plate upon a coffee mug to keep it above water level). Steam, lid on, for 1 to 1½ hours, topping up the water as necessary. | |
| To serve, slice the ‘souffle’, arrange on a plate and pour white sauce over. | |