Like a good soap opera, the recipe for Lyon’s quenelle, one of the city’s iconic specialities, has seen a few twists and turns since its creation. Between the traditional version and its many variations, we have a hard time choosing our favourite!
Nothing at all like the dismal quenelles we used to eat at the school canteen, the authentic quenelles served in our bistros and bouchons (Translator’s note: Lyon’s traditional eateries) are a real treat.
According to legend, the recipe was invented in 1830 by the pastry chef Charles Morateur. Back then, the waters of the Saône were teeming with pike, which threatened the river’s ecological balance. This over-population is said to have given Charles Morateur the idea of mixing, in equal parts, pike flesh enriched with animal fat (from beef, calf, etc.) with choux pastry, thereby creating the first quenelle lyonnaise. Over time, the recipe has evolved and become lighter: animal fat was replaced by butter, and panada by semolina.
This new offering was born of an unusual and wonderful collaboration between the pork butcher Joseph Moyne and the chocolate maker Rousseau, whose creation found its way into the menus of the most iconic restaurants of the time, such as La Mère Brazier and La Mère Fillioux.
Today, their recipe and that of Charles Morateur can both be found in Lyon’s restaurants. As for their preparation and accompaniment, opinions also differ widely. Some people in Lyon prefer them plain, lightly grilled in a pan, while others swear by the au gratin version in a sauce. Made with pike, it is usually served with a Nantua sauce of bechamel and crayfish butter, but others prefer their quenelles in a tomato sauce.
For a fresh taste experience, however, everybody agrees: Maison Giraudet is the place to go. This essential address, a holder of the prestigious ‘Entreprise du patrimoine vivant’ label, awarded to companies with outstanding expertise, revisits the quenelle with ingredients such as summer Beaufort cheese, squash and marrow seeds, shrimp and lime.
A far cry from those quenelles served at the canteen…
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