Veal Quenelles is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic French-inspired stuffing or forcemeat made with a blend of paanda, calf udder, veal, flour and spices that's bound with eggs, that are shaped into balls or ovals, boiled and served. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Veal Quenelles.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
Veal Quenelles.
422. INGREDIENTS.—Equal quantities of veal, paanda (No. 420), and calf's udder (No. 421), 2 eggs; seasoning to taste of pepper, salt, and pounded mace, or grated nutmeg; a little flour.
Mode.—Take the fleshy part of veal, scrape it with a knife, till all the meat is separated from the sinews, and allow about 1/2 lb. for an entrée. Chop the meat, and pound it in a mortar till reduced to a paste; then roll it into a ball; make another of paanda (No. 420), the same size, and another of udder (No. 421), taking care that these three balls be of the same size. It is to be remembered, that equality of size, and not of weight, is here necessary. When the three ingredients are properly prepared, pound them altogether in a mortar for some time; for the more quenelles are pounded, the more delicate they are. Now moisten with the eggs, whites and yolks, and continue pounding, adding a seasoning of pepper, spices, &c. When the whole is well blended together, mould it into balls, or whatever shape is intended, roll them in flour, and poach in boiling water, to which a little salt should have been added. If the quenelles are not firm enough, add the yolk of another egg, but omit the white, which only makes them hollow and puffy inside. In the preparation of this recipe, it would be well to bear in mind that the ingredients are to be well pounded and seasoned, and must be made hard or soft according to the dishes they are intended for. For brown or white ragoûts they should be firm, and when the quenelles are used very small, extreme delicacy will be necessary in their preparation. Their flavour may be varied by using the flesh of rabbit, fowl, hare, pheasant, grouse, or an extra quantity of mushroom, parsley, &c.
Time,—About 1/4 hour to poach in boiling water.
Sufficient, 1/2 lb. of veal or other meat, with other ingredients in proportion, for 1 entrée.
Note.—The French are noted for their skill in making forcemeats; one of the principal causes of their superiority in this respect being, that they pound all the ingredients so diligently and thoroughly. Any one with the slightest pretensions to refined cookery, must, in this particular, implicitly follow the example of our friends across the Channel.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
250g paanda
250g boiled calf udder (or substitute butter, softened)
250g veal, with all fat and sinews removed
2 eggs
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
ground mace and freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
2 tsp plain flour
Method:
Remove any sinews and fat from the veal then chop finely. Combine the paanda, calf udder (or butter) and meat in a blender and process until very smooth and thoroughly.
Mix in the spices, then add the egg, a little at a time, pulsing to combine. Continue adding egg until the mixture is sufficiently soft to be worked. Either shape the mixture into round balls or use two spoons to shape into rugby-balls (the classic quenelles).
Roll the balls in flour to coat then bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil, carefully lower the quenelles into this and poach for about 6 minutes, or until cooked through. These can be served as a starter with a green salad or can be used as garnishes for soups and stews.
