Chicken Quenelles in Broth
The Russian knel (кнель) comes from the French quenelle: a delicate dumpling of finely pounded meat or fish, bound with bread or eggs and poached gently in…
- CuisineRussian
- Prep30 min
- Cook15 min
- Total45 min
- Makes4 servings
Chicken Quenelles in Broth
1. Make the mixture:
Chop the raw chicken fillet as finely as possible, or pass it through a meat grinder several times.
Then pound it in a mortar, add the bread soaked in cream, and pound everything well again.
Work in the softened butter and the eggs, and finally rub the mixture through a sieve.
2. Shape the quenelles:
Just before serving, take the mixture with a spoon dipped in hot water, smooth each quenelle
with a wet knife, and place it on a buttered sauté pan.
3. Poach:
About 10 minutes before serving, pour boiling broth over the pan, pouring it beside the
quenelles, not on top of them. Set the pan on the stove without letting it come to a boil.
4. Turn:
After 3–5 minutes, carefully turn the quenelles and let them stand on the stove
for another five minutes.
5. Serve:
Lift them out gently with a slotted spoon, place them in a bowl with hot broth,
and serve at once.
Chicken Quenelles in Broth
History & OriginsThe Russian knel (кнель) comes from the French quenelle: a delicate dumpling of finely pounded meat or fish, bound with bread or eggs and poached gently in broth. It is a classic of French cuisine that entered Russian cookbooks and was adapted there. This version is recipe no. 101, "Кнель из кур", from a Russian-language cookbook.
Chicken Quenelles in Broth
The story behind the dishThe Russian knel (кнель) comes from the French quenelle: a delicate dumpling of finely pounded meat or fish, bound with bread or eggs and poached gently in broth. It is a classic of French cuisine that entered Russian cookbooks and was adapted there. This version is recipe no. 101, "Кнель из кур", from a Russian-language cookbook.
