Prep. time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Preparing the sauce

1. Mince the shallots and sauté them in 25 g (5 tsp.) butter until lightly colored; add the coarsely chopped fish bones and sauté everything for 10 minutes.
2. Deglaze with the beer (enough to just cover the bones) and cook for 30 minutes. Strain and reduce by 3/4. 
3. Add the heavy cream and lemon juice and correct the seasoning.
4. Just before serving, emulsify the sauce several times to make it very light.

Preparing the fruit fricassée

1. Peel the quince and cut it into 10 lengthwise; sauté in butter and cook covered for about 10 minutes.
2. Peel the apples and pears and cut into eighths lengthwise. 
3. Cut the walnut halves in half again. Pit and halve the prunes. 
4. Sauté the apples and pears in butter until lightly browned (5 minutes). Add the quince, deglaze with balsamic vinegar, add the prunes, grapes and walnuts.
5. Cook 2 minutes longer, then add a touch of cinnamon and correct the seasoning.

Cooking the fish and presentation 

1. Brown the pike-perch in olive oil, then transfer to a 200° C (400° F) oven for 5 minutes.
2. Just before serving, place some of the fruit fricassée in the center of the plate and place the fish on top.
3. Spoon on the Christmas beer emulsion. 

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Photo and collaboration: VFC and Brasseurs de France

A glass of Christmas beer