Appears in
The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine

By French Culinary Institute

Published 2021

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This technique is used exclusively for poaching live trout. However today it’s not often we have the opportunity to work with live fish. To authentically prepare truite au bleu, you must begin with a live trout and first stun it with a wooden club or mallet before proceeding to gut and cook it. The best definition of this classic dish comes from Auguste Escoffier in his book Ma Cuisine: “Start with a live trout in a tank. Keep a shallow pan of salted and vinegared boiling water at the ready. Ten minutes before they are to be served, take the trout from the tank and stun them by hitting them on the head. Rapidly gut and clean them. Place them on a plate and sprinkle with vinegar. Slip them into the boiling water where they will immediately curl up and their flesh will flake. It only takes a few minutes to complete the cooking.”