Nantua sauce

A classic French sauce made with crayfish butter and cream

Pike quenelles served with Nantua sauce

Nantua sauce is a classic French sauce named after the city of Nantua in the Ain department of eastern France. It is a béchamel sauce enriched with crayfish butter and cream, giving it a distinctive pink color and rich flavor.

Preparation

The preparation of Nantua sauce begins with a basic béchamel sauce, which is made by whisking together butter, flour, and milk. To this base, crayfish butter is added. Crayfish butter is made by puréeing cooked crayfish with butter and then straining the mixture to remove any solids. The sauce is finished with the addition of cream, which adds richness and smoothness.

Uses

Nantua sauce is traditionally served with quenelles, particularly pike quenelles, which are a specialty of the Lyon region. Quenelles are delicate dumplings made from a mixture of creamed fish, chicken, or meat, combined with breadcrumbs and egg. The sauce complements the light texture and subtle flavor of the quenelles.

Related pages

• Béchamel sauce
• French cuisine
• Quenelle
• Crayfish