Chicken Consommé

Consommé has a myriad of uses, a star on its own, or with additions such as vegetables, dumplings, chicken, and noodles. Ideal as a winter appetiser, brunch, or light dinner, serve it with your favourite artisan bread.

Ingredients

1 cooked chicken carcass, skin and fat removed
1 medium onion, skin on, halved
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, unpeeled
2 sprigs fresh tarragon
5 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stalks
1 bay leaf
8 cups cold water, more to cover
3 large egg whites
2 to 3 drops gravy-browning liquid
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

METHOD – Serves 2-4 – PREP 5 MINS

1. In a large stock or saucepan, place the chicken carcass, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, tarragon, parsley, and bay leaf.
2. Cover with cold water and bring to a gentle, rolling boil.
3. Simmer at a gentle boil for 90 to 120 minutes. If the water starts to boil away, add more because the ingredients must be covered in water. Taste the stock after the allotted cooking time. It should have a good flavour of chicken and a background hint of the vegetables and herbs. If not, cook a while longer.
4. Strain the stock through a large colander, discarding the solids.
5. Return the liquid to the pan. Bring back to a boil and reduce by approximately a quarter.
6. Allow the liquid to cool down, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
7. Skim any fat from the surface.
8. Then add the egg whites and whisk thoroughly.
9. Bring the liquid to a boil, whisking all the time. If you want a darker consommé, then add the optional Kitchen Bouquet.
10. Simmer gently, without stirring, for 15 minutes until the egg whites form a crust on the surface, called a “raft.”
11. Line a sieve with a piece of clean, unused muslin or a tea towel that has been washed
    in plain water. Gently ladle
    the crust into the sieve and then slowly ladle the liquid over the crust, allowing time for the liquid to pass through the crust and sieve before adding any more. Do not push the stock through, or it will make the consommé cloudy.
12. Return the clear liquid to the pan and reheat to hot but not boiling. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. This soup is best served warm to hot (not boiling) as it intensifies the flavour.