Pike Cutlets à la Soubise

Ingredients

• Pike forcemeat (fine farce de brochet)
• Butter
• Mushrooms and truffles
• Pike forcemeat (for topping)
• Melted butter
• Breadcrumbs
• Soubise sauce

Instructions

1. Line the interior of small cutlet-shaped molds (well-buttered) with a thin layer of fine pike forcemeat (farce fine de brochet), coating the bottom and sides. Fill the center with a salpicon of mushrooms and truffles bound with a tight Allemande sauce (allemande serrée — a concentrated velouté-based sauce with egg yolk enrichment). Cover the filling with a layer of forcemeat and poach the molds in simmering salted water or court-bouillon until set.
2. Unmold the cutlets carefully and pat dry. Dip them in melted butter, then coat à l'anglaise (English-style: breadcrumb coating). Color them in clarified butter over moderate heat until golden.
3. Dress on the plate in a turban shape and wrap in parchment (papilloter) if desired for presentation. Serve Soubise sauce (an onion béchamel) separately on the side.