HOT SOUP: This traditional recipe for consomme was given to me in England by a good friend who was an excellent cook. Consomme is a type of concentrated soup, mostly made with beef and beef stock, that used to be standard fare in the English cuisine.

CONSOMME:

5 cups beef stock                                                        

2 egg whites

2 washed egg shells, crushed                                      

4 oz. lean shin beef, finely chopped

4 peppercorns                                                             

½ tsp. salt

3 tbsp. sherry                                                              

meat extract-optional                                                  

Chill beef stock until cold; then remove any fat from the stock. Whisk egg white slightly.

Place the stock in a large saucepan and heat it slowly until nearly boiling.  Add the meat, egg white, egg shells, peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly with a wire whisk. Simmer very gently, without whisking, for 1 hour.

Strain soup, through a triple thickness of cheesecloth, into a scalded bowl. Add sherry.

The consommé should be a clear deep amber colour.  A little meat extract can be used to adjust colouring if necessary. 

Reheat consommé; then add the chosen garnish to serve. Serve very hot.

VARIATIONS OF GARNISHES:

Consommé Brunoise:  Add 1 tbsp. each of finely diced and cooked carrots, turnips, leeks and celery to each of 4 serving bowls. Top with hot consommé

Consommé a la julienne:  Add 1 tbsp. each of cooked and julienne strips of same ingredients as above to each of 4 serving bowls. Top with hot consommé.

Consommé au vermicelli: Cook ¼ oz. of vermicelli until soft and drain well. Add a little of vermicelli in each of 4 serving bowls. Add hot consommé to serve.

Consommé en gelee:  Make the consommé using a stock made with beef bones and veal bones. Strain soup and chill. The consommé should gel on its own with no added gelatine. Serve cooled but not chilled, garnish with slices of lemon.