Frogs

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide 4-quart sauté pan
• •Medium heavy saucepan
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Large bowl and a second bowl for an ice bath
• •Pastry brush
• •Chilled oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the grenouilles

   Keep each pair of frog legs joined, trimming only ragged skin or exposed cartilage. Rinse only if the supplier recommends it, then dry the legs thoroughly. Keep them cold while the poaching liquor is prepared. Frog legs are delicate, but they still require complete cooking, so have an instant-read thermometer ready.

   Frozen frog legs are often the honest choice because they are cleaned and frozen promptly. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, never on the counter.
2. 2

   Poach them gently

   Combine the wine, 2 cups (480 ml / 480 g) cold water, shallots, parsley stems, thyme, bay leaf, 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml / 9 g) salt, and peppercorns in a wide pan. Simmer for 10 minutes to draw out the aromatics, then lower the heat until the liquid barely trembles. Add the frog legs in two batches and poach for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, until the flesh is opaque and reaches 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part. Do not boil them. A hard boil tightens the meat before the bones have warmed through. Transfer each cooked batch to a wire rack and refrigerate uncovered until completely cold.

3. 3

   Reduce the liquor

   Strain the poaching liquor through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing nothing through, then bring it to a full boil and skim away any foam. Reduce until 2 3/4 cups (660 ml) remain. Measure out 2 cups (480 ml) for the sauce and reserve 3/4 cup (180 ml) for the final glaze. This concentrated liquor replaces the separate stockpot the grand kitchen kept ready.

4. 4

   Build sauce aurore

   Bloom 3 teaspoons (15 ml / 9 g) gelatin in 4 tablespoons (60 ml / 60 g) of the cold blooming water. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, add the flour, and stir over gentle heat for 2 minutes without allowing the roux to brown. Whisk in the 2 cups (480 ml) reduced poaching liquor a little at a time, bringing each addition smooth before adding the next. Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring along the pan floor, then add the tomato purée and cream. Simmer gently until the sauce is pale coral and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml / 3 g) salt. Strain into a clean bowl.

5. 5

   Cool to nappant

   Set the bowl of sauce over an ice bath and stir steadily until it reaches about 82°F (28°C) and falls from the spoon in a thick, continuous ribbon. This is nappant, thick enough to cover cleanly while still fluid. If the sauce sets around the bowl before the centre thickens, lift it from the ice and whisk until smooth. If it becomes too firm to flow, warm the underside of the bowl briefly over barely warm water. Ça se rattrape.

6. 6

   Coat the grenouilles

   Blot the chilled frog legs again, especially around the joints. Holding each pair by the bone tips, draw it through the sauce aurore and let the excess fall back into the bowl, then place it on the clean wire rack. Chill for 10 minutes and apply a second thin coat wherever the first looks translucent. If the sauce slides off, either the legs are damp or the sauce is too warm. Blot the legs, cool the sauce to nappant again, and repeat. Do not bury the meat beneath a heavy coat.

7. 7

   Glaze and set

   Bloom the remaining 1 teaspoon (5 ml / 3 g) gelatin in the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 30 g) cold water. Warm the reserved 3/4 cup (180 ml) poaching liquor, remove it from the heat, and dissolve the bloomed gelatin in it. Cool until lightly syrupy. Place one chervil leaf on each coated pair and brush gently with the glaze, which should leave a clear shine without disturbing the pink sauce. If the glaze begins setting in the bowl, warm its underside for a few seconds. Refrigerate the finished grenouilles for at least 1 1/2 hours.

8. 8

   Arrange and serve

   Arrange six pairs per person in overlapping arcs on a chilled oval platter, leaving the joined bones easy to grasp. Remove the platter from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving so the sauce loses its deepest chill but remains firmly set. Serve with plain dressed leaves and good bread at the table, allowing the coral-pink grenouilles to carry the occasion. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Buy skinned frog legs from a reputable fishmonger, either fresh or properly frozen. They should smell clean and faintly aquatic, never sour. Technique first, always, but careful sourcing matters with such delicate meat.
• •Keep the pairs joined. The connective bridge protects the small muscles during poaching, gives the cook something to hold while glazing, and preserves the classical shape on the platter.
• •Temperature decides the coating. Warm sauce runs off, cold sauce clumps, and nappant sauce leaves a smooth veil. Keep the bowl near an ice bath and adjust by seconds rather than forcing it.
• •The quantity is deliberate. A classical cold platter appeared among several dishes, while this dinner-party main gives each guest six pairs. Serve a sharply dressed green salad and bread alongside, not piled over the grenouilles.
• •Pour a dry white Burgundy with enough acidity to meet the cream and tomato. Avoid a heavily oaked bottle, which overwhelms the mild meat and makes the sauce taste sweeter than it is.

Advance Preparation

• •The frog legs may be poached and chilled one day ahead. Keep them covered once cold, then blot them carefully before coating.
• •The finished glazed platter may be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Cover it only after the glaze has set so wrapping does not mark the surface.
• •Do not freeze the completed dish. Freezing damages the delicate meat and causes the cream sauce to release water as it thaws.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 340g)