Velouté of Whitebait with Curry

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, minced
• 0.5 teaspoon curry powder
• 1.25 liters warm water
• 20 grams salt
• a pinch saffron
• 1 bouquet bouquet garni (herb bundle)
• 500 grams whitebait, very fresh
• liaison (liaison — egg yolk and cream thickener)
• butter, for finishing
• thin slices of bread, dried in butter
• poached rice or vermicelli

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a heavy pot and sauté the minced onions until softened. Dust with curry powder and stir to combine.
2. Add the warm water and season with salt, saffron, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the fresh whitebait and cook at a rolling boil for 10 minutes.
4. Pass the soup through a fine hair sieve (tamis de crin). Return to gentle heat without allowing it to boil again.
5. Finish at the moment of service with a liaison and butter, mounting the butter into the soup to enrich it.
6. Serve garnished with thin slices of bread crisped in butter, or with poached rice or vermicelle.
7. Note: This velouté must be prepared in exactly 20 minutes and served at once.