Pike Cakes with Crayfish Cream Sauce (Quenelles de Brochet avec Sauce Nantua)

Traditionally these Pike Cakes are served with a sauce Nantua (made from crayfish from the region of Nantua), but you can use any shellfish, such as crab or lobster.

1½ lb pike or sole, skinless, boneless, roughly chopped
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 cups heavy cream
kosher salt
white pepper, freshly ground
cayenne
nutmeg
3 (1 lb) crayfish or whole lobster, steamed
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 large button mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
2 oz Cognac

In a food processor, grind the fish until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and gently stir in the eggs. Slowly stir in 2 cups cream, salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, separate the meat from the crayfish shells. Slice the tails into ½" thick slices and refrigerate meat until ready to use. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add crayfish shells and cook, smashing them to extract their juices, 7-8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, and leek and cook until soft, 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. Stir in cognac and cook until the liquid has almost evaporated, 1 minute. Stir in remaining 4 cups cream, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook 20 minutes. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl, discarding solids. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Meanwhile, line a work surface with plastic wrap. Place 1 cup mousse on the edge of the plastic wrap closest to you, leaving about a 2" border. Working from one long end and using plastic wrap to lift and guide, roll up mousse, creating a log. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to secure. Wrap in plastic wrap one more time and set aside. Repeat process with remaining mousse until you have four logs.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a low simmer. Add the mousse logs and place a smaller saucepan or weight over them to ensure they stay submerged. Cook until set, about 45 minutes, then remove from the water. Wait 5 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath until chilled.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

Unwrap logs and place each into individual oven proof casserole dishes, or place all in one 9x13" baking dish. Cover each with ½ cup of sauce and bake until bubbling, about 12 minutes. Divide tail pieces between each baking dish and increase oven temperature to 425°F. Bake until the tops of each mousse are golden brown, 6-8 minutes longer.

Makes 4 servings.