Mousseline of Frog Legs with Fresh Pasta
Submitted by bugle_338
An elegant French mousseline of frog legs and sole, piped into molds with a tender frog-leg center, baked gently in a water bath, and served over buttered fresh pasta with a silky frog-leg cream sauce.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1½ hrsThis is a showpiece of classic French technique. Delicate frog leg meat and filet of sole are ground with egg and cream into a mousseline, a light, airy forcemeat, then piped into molds with a tender nugget of frog leg hidden in the center.
The mousseline lives or dies by temperature. Keep the sole, frog, and cream cold as you process them, so the cream emulsifies into a smooth, set mousse rather than breaking. The egg binds it as it bakes.
Cooking happens gently in a water bath. Setting the molds in an inch of water and covering them with parchment and foil shields the mousseline from harsh, direct heat, so it cooks evenly into something silky instead of rubbery.
Nothing is wasted: the wine the frog legs poached in becomes the sauce, reduced with cream until glossy and finished with butter and lemon. Serve the unmolded mousseline over buttered fresh pasta, with a pour of that sauce and a scatter of chives.
Chef Tips
- Keep the fish, frog meat, and cream very cold while grinding so the mousseline doesn’t break.
- Tamp the filled molds gently to knock out air pockets for a smooth, even set.
- Bake in a water bath under parchment and foil so the mousseline stays silky, not rubbery.
- Reduce the frog-leg poaching liquid by half before adding cream for the deepest sauce flavor.
Variations
- Use scallops, pike, or another mild white fish in place of frog legs.
- Fold chopped tarragon or chervil into the mousseline for a French herbal note.
- Serve the mousseline on its own as a refined first course without the pasta.
Ingredients
Directions
Frog Leg Sauce:
In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Sauté the chopped shallots in butter until they’re golden brown.
Add 1½ pounds of frog legs, white wine, salt and pepper.
Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes.
Strain the liquids from the mixture back into the sauté pan.
Reserve the legs.
Replace strained stock in sauté pan, add 1 cup of cream and reduce by half. Set aside but keep warm.
Frog Legs Debone the frog legs. Place the meat in a meat grinder or food processor with the filet of sole and grind thoroughly.
Add egg, salt and pepper, and 1 cup of cream (adjust to consistency and taste.) Process the mousseline and reserve.
Pasta:
Boil salted water, add olive oil and pasta. When pasta is al dente, strain and cool under running water. Set aside.
Mousseline:
Butter four ramekins or molds.
Put the mousseline into a pastry bag and squeeze it into the molds, leaving a hole in the center of each mold.
Fill center with frog leg meat and top with mousseline. Tamp gently to remove trapped air bubbles.
Place the molds onto a pan or tray in which you’ve poured about an inch of water. On top of each mold, place a layer of buttered parchment, (butter side down), then a layer of foil.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400℉ (200℃).
To Assemble:
To serve, sauté pasta in 3 tablespoons of butter, adjust seasoning, then layer on serving plates.
Remove mousseline from molds and place on pasta.
Bring the sauce to a boil, and add heavy cream to adjust consistency if necessary. If sauce is too thick, thin with white wine.
Add butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Pour sauce over mousseline and sprinkle with chopped chives.
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