Chilled Tomato Consommé Food

CONSOMMé MADRILèNE (CHILLED CONSOMMé WITH RED PEPPERS AND TOMATOES) RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Season the chicken stock with salt and bring it to a boil. Cut the leeks, celery, and carrots in a fine dice, or brunoise. Chop the tomatoes. Mix the egg whites, lean ground beef, vegetables (leeks, celery, and carrots), and aromatics (herbs, bay leaf, and peppercorns). This mixture is called a raft. Add some water and hot stock to the mixture to bring the temperature of it up. Then, add this mixture to the hot stock and stir it around. Before the mixture comes to a boil, stir the consommé so that the egg whites don't stick to the pot and burn and to ensure the protein is distributed evenly. After it starts to boil, simmer for 1 hour. Don't stir after this. Check the pot to make sure there is a chimney so that the liquid can bubble through. Remove the consommé from underneath the raft. Chill. To prepare the garnish, dice the red bell pepper and place in cold, salted water. Blanch for 10 minutes and chill in an ice bath. Peel, seed, and dice the tomato. To serve, ladle the consommé into a bowl and garnish with the red bell pepper, the tomato, and chervil or parsley.

CHILLED TOMATO CONSOMMé

Steps:

• Cut fronds from fennel stalks and reserve. Cut whole fennel (with stalks) in half lengthwise and core. Separate layers, reserving 3 or 4 tender inner pieces, and coarsely chop remaining fennel, including stalks.
• Cook onions, garlic, and chopped fennel in oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in puréed tomato, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
• Pour tomato mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a 4-quart saucepan, pressing hard on solids and then discarding them, and bring tomato broth to a full boil.
• Whisk together egg whites, herbs, ice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until frothy, then quickly pour into boiling broth, whisking vigorously 2 or 3 times. (Egg mixture will rise to surface and form a "raft.") When broth returns to a simmer, find a place where bubbles break through raft and gently enlarge hole to the size of a ladle. Cook broth at a bare simmer, uncovered, without stirring (keep raft opening clear by gently spooning out any froth), until broth is clear, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat and, disturbing raft as little as possible, carefully ladle out consommé through opening in raft, tilting saucepan as necessary, and transfer to cleaned fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of dampened paper towels set over a bowl or large glass measure. Discard raft. Chill consommé, uncovered, until cold, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Just before serving, season consommé with salt. Slice reserved tender fennel into thin slivers and toss with fennel fronds, pear tomatoes, and vinegar. Divide consommé and tomato salad among chilled bowls.

TOMATO CONSOMMé - JAMIE OLIVER

Steps:

• Put everything except the beetroot into a food processor and run until slushy. (You will probably want to split the tomatoes into 2 batches to avoid spillage.).
• Place 4 layers of clean muslin cheesecloth in a deep bowl. Pour the tomato mixture into the cloth. Tie up the corners of the fabric. Add the slice of beetroot to the bowl to color the liquid. Hang the bag from a shelf in the refrigerator with the bowl underneath for 6-8 hours (or longer). Discard the beetroot.
• Serve in a pretty clear bowl with an ice cube to keep it very cold, a nice basil leaf, and a few drops of very good extra-virgin olive oil.

CONSOMME

Steps:

• Some Traditional Garnishes: Brunoise-Consomme garnish with small cubes of carrots, turnips, leeks, celery, peas, and chervil
• Cheveux d'anges-Chicken Consomme garnished with very small vermicelli and grated Parmesan cheese
• In a mixing bowl, whip the egg whites slightly. Combine the lean meat, vegetables, tomato puree, herbs, and spices together. Mix in the egg whites. In a spigot stock pot, blend the cold chicken stock with the meat mixture. Place the stock pot on medium heat. Stir the liquid occasionally until the raft forms. (the liquid should reach 160 degrees F) Simmer the soup for 1 1/2 hours, making sure the raft does not break or sink. Remove the first cup of the consomme from the spigot to remove sediment and discard. Line a china cap with 5 layers of cheesecloth. Strain the liquid slowly. If the liquid is cloudy, strain the consomme again with fresh cheesecloth. Season with salt, hot sauce, and garnishes.

FRESH TOMATO CONSOMME

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Start by adding water to tomato sauce and giving it a good stir.
• In a food processor , blend tomatoes with basil leaves. Add egg whites and sugar and blend again until all ingredients are well mixed.
• Pour into sauce and water mixture. Stir well.
• Place into a large pan and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Simmer soup gently for 15 minutes, gradually egg whites will rise to the surface and start to form a crust. Do not disturb this: it is going to act as a filter in order to clarify the soup.
• Line a sieve with a piece of clean, unused muslin or a tea towel that has been washed in plain water. Gently ladle crust evenly into sieve. Then, slowly ladle liquid, a ladle at a time over crust. allow time for liquid to pass through crust and sieve before adding any more. Do not push sauce through!
• Return clear liquid to pan and reheat to hot, but not boiling. This soup is best served warm to hot (not boiling) as it intensifies the flavor.
• If not serving immediately, cool soup and refrigerate until required.
• Reheat soup to hot but not boiling, and divide between six hot soup bowls. Garnish with basil, if using.