1006—Mousselines d’Éperlans

Proceed exactly as for Mousselines de Saumon (No. 797, Mousseline de Saumon). To prepare the forcemeat, follow the directions under No. 195, Fine Chicken Forcemeat or “Mousseline”; but note the following changes:—Of the whole quantity of the meat of fish, that of the smelt should only measure one-third; the other two-thirds should be supplied by the sole, dory, or whiting.

The object of this disproportion has already been explained under “Velouté d’Éperlans” (No. 680, Velouté d’Éperlans). The flesh of the smelt is of a much too decided flavour to be used alone, and when this flavour dominates, it becomes positively disagreeable; hence the need of a fish whose flesh is almost neutral in so far as taste is concerned. But this addition of a fish foreign to the base of the preparation fulfils a double purpose; for, while it effectually weakens the pungency of the smelt’s flesh, it also enables the whole preparation to absorb a much larger quantity of cream, and this last circumstance can only allow of the mousselines being lighter and mellower.