Medieval Pike in Galentine (fish jelly), fifteenth century.
(printout version recipe September/October 2009 (2 pages A4))
© Christianne Muusers
For a mould with a content of about 4 cups (1 liter), or 8 to 20 persons (depending on the menu). When serving a whole pike, use at least three times the amount of sauce.

List of ingredients:
500 gram (1 pound) fish meat of pike, pike perch, panga fillet (or any other white fish)
1/8 liter (1/2 cup) white wine
water, enough to cover the fish
2 sprigs parsley and 4 crushed white pepper corns
1 tsp in all of cinnamon, ginger and ground cloves (ratio 3:2:1)
white pepper to taste
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 slices brown bread without crust (not wholemeal bread, just ordinary brown)
3 1/2 sheets (or leaves) of gelatine (optional)

Preparation in advance:
Poach the fish in water with wine and salt, and if you want to add a modern touch, some parsley and white peppercorns. To poach, that is to heat the liquids without letting them boil, steam is rising from the pan, but the water is not bubbling. When using fish fillets, you can turn off the fire after seven minutes, the fish will finish cooking in the cooling liquid. Now add the vinegar.
Sauté the onions in olive oil.

Preparation:
Drain the fish. Steep the bread in 1/2 liter (2 cups) of the cooking liquid, then strain through a sieve, or blender the bread with 1 cups of the liquid, then add the other cup. Add cinnamon, ginger and cloves, and a little white pepper. Stir in the fried onions, bring the sauce to the boil.
To serve with a whole fish: A pike is quite large, you'll need at least three times the amount of sauce. Smaller whole fish obviously will need less sauce. Arrange the whole, poached fish without the skin but with head and tail on a decorative dish and cover with the sauce. This way, the galantine can be served warm or at room temperature.
To serve as 'fish jelly': Remove any fish bones (if using a whole fish), cut the fillets in chunks. Take enough gelatine for 1 liter (4 cups) of liquid (in the Netherlands that is seven leaves of gelatine) and prepare them according to the instructions on the package. Stir the gelatine through the hot sauce, then add the fish. Pour this in a mould that has been rinsed with cold water, and let cool completely. You can also wait until the sauce with gelatine and fish has cooled to warm, cover a mould with plastic foil and then pour in the galantine. Keep the galantine in the refrigerator, demould just before serving. If you have a mould in the shape of a fish, that's the one to use, of course!

To serve:
This dish is a visual delight, whether you choose to serve a whole fish with sauce, or a fish jelly. The whole fish can be served warm as well as cold (as part of a splendid cold buffet), the fish jelly is served cold or at room temperature, also as part of a buffet or mixed first course. The Galantine not only looks and tastes great, but it also has a pleasing aroma.