A quenelle is a classic French preparation with two related meanings. In the strict culinary sense it is a small, light dumpling of finely ground fish, meat, or poultry bound with egg white, cream, or panada and poached gently in stock; the pike quenelles of Lyon are the celebrated example. More broadly, the word now describes any soft food shaped into a neat oval, formed by passing the mixture between two spoons, from quenelles of chocolate mousse to quenelles of sorbet on a plated dessert. The technique demands a smooth, well-chilled mixture and a confident hand to get the characteristic three-sided oval. Whether savoury or sweet, a quenelle signals careful, professional plating and a silky, refined texture.