Consomme of beef

Consommé is much heartier than a basic beef broth. This French recipe includes consomme of beef beef, eggs, and eggshells, making it unorthodox but delicious.

Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. The technique needed for perfect consommé is as interesting as it is easy to master, but it does require a whole lot of patience because the ingredients will yield the flavor at their best when left undisturbed for the right amount of time.

We use homemade veal stock for the best flavor, but an organic store-bought beef broth will do in a pinch. In a big ceramic bowl, whisk the peppercorns, egg whites, and eggshells until the mixture turns foamy. Pulse together in a food processor the tomatoes, celery ribs, and ground beef. In a large stockpot, combine the vegetable-beef mixture and the egg mixture, with the veal stock, thyme, and salt.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once all the solids have formed the raft on top, remove a piece of the raft on the side to allow you to see if all the impurities have risen to the top of the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer, without stirring, for 30 to 40 minutes. Do not disturb the raft as this might make your consommé cloudy.

I don’t like this at all. In cooking, a consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavoured stock or broth that has been clarified, a process that uses egg whites to remove fat and sediment. US the stress is on the last. Consommés are usually served piping hot because they tend to cool down more quickly than other soups and form a gel. They are most often served with garnishes, which vary in complexity from a simple splash of sherry or egg yolk, to cut vegetables, to shaped savory custards called ‘royales’. This low yield is part of what has traditionally given consommé its refined reputation as an expensive dish.