Consommé — France

Consommé is a clear soup: a stock made from poultry, veal or beef bones and meat is simmered slowly, then clarified so that every trace of cloudiness is removed, leaving a liquid that is perfectly transparent yet more concentrated in flavor than the stock it started from. Because the clarification also removes fat and impurities, the finished soup feels lighter on the tongue while tasting stronger, and it sets to a soft, trembling texture when chilled. This preparation is reported from France, where it appears on menus as a formal first course, often given a garnish that names the finished dish, such as vegetables cut into fine strips or small dumplings. It is generally served hot, in a shallow bowl or cup, though a chilled, lightly set version also appears in warmer-weather menus. To prepare it, a stock is first made by simmering bones, meat trimmings and aromatics for several hours, then strained and cooled. It is clarified by whisking in egg whites along with lean minced meat and chopped vegetables, then bringing the mixture back to a very gentle simmer: the egg whites coagulate into a raft that traps every particle suspended in the liquid, and the clear stock is ladled out from underneath without disturbing it. The clarified liquid is seasoned, and can be reduced further to concentrate its flavor before serving. What distinguishes this preparation from a simple broth is precisely this clarifying step: broth is drunk as it comes off the bones, cloudy and full-bodied, while consommé is worked further until it runs perfectly clear and slightly more gelled from the collagen released during the long simmer. The choice of bones and meat, whether poultry, veal or beef, and the garnish added at the end are what separate one version of the dish from another on a menu.