Clear soups are a wise choice for anyone wanting to retain a slim figure, as, apart from the garnish, they are made without high-calorie ingredients.
The finest of all clear soups is undoubtedly a consommé. To achieve a perfect result, the meat, stock and other ingredients must be given long, slow cooking. After that it is important to clarify the stock so that the consommé is beautifully clear. Recipes for making consommés based on various meats, poultry and game are given on pages 49 to 52.
Having prepared a consommé, you can turn it into a wide range of soups by using different garnishes. The French fill pages and pages of their cookery books with these, and I have selected some of the more practical and interesting ones. In these the garnish gives the soup its name.
This chapter also includes other interesting unthickened soups, including those based on beer and wine.
Clear soups are less satisfying than thicker soups, so you can be more generous with the portions.
Microwave cooking: This method can be used for making a consommé. First make the stock as described on pages 13 to 15, but reduce the amount of liquid by a quarter, e.g. 1.8 litres/3 pints (7½ cups) instead of 2.4 litres/4 pints (10 cups). There is less evaporation in a microwave than in a saucepan, and the total cooking time is shorter.
Having made the stock, prepare the extra ingredients, as described in the recipe, and place them in a very large bowl or casserole suitable for microwave cooking. To save time, bring the stock to the boil in an ordinary pan and pour it over the ingredients in the microwave container. Heat for a few minutes on full power until you see bubbles on the surface of the liquid, then turn to defrost and cook for about 10 minutes. Check the speed of cooking; if the liquid is simmering gently, cover the bowl and continue cooking for 30 minutes. If the liquid is boiling too quickly on defrost, turn to a lower setting.
When cooked, strain the stock. You can then return it to the container for clarifying with egg whites and shells, as described on page 49. Heat for 10 minutes on defrost, then strain.
Pressure cooking: This is a splendid way of making consommé. First make the stock in the pressure cooker, as described on page 11. Put your consommé ingredients in the pressure cooker and add the stock. In the case of Beef Consommé, you will need only 1.2 litres/2 pints (5 cups) of stock, since the total cooking time is short and there is virtually no evaporation of liquid.
Bring the cooker to full pressure (high) and maintain this for 30 minutes only. Allow to drop at room temperature, then strain the stock. Continue as the recipe, using the pressure cooker as an ordinary saucepan if you want to clarify the liquid using egg whites and shells.
Always check on the capacity of your particular pressure cooker if making large amounts of consommé or other soups, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions about filling the pan. It should never be more than half full, so if your cooker is small, you may need to prepare the consommé in two batches.
Slow cooking: Electric slow cookers have not been mentioned before in this book, but could be used for making stock and consommé. Always fill the cooker with boiling water or boiling stock before turning down to the recommended position for your particular model. You should allow about 6 to 8 hours to produce a good stock, and the same time for a consommé. At the end of the cooking time, strain the liquid and transfer to an ordinary saucepan if you want to clarify it using egg whites and egg shells, as described on page 49.
Oven cooking: It is also possible to make consommé in a tightly covered casserole in the oven. Follow the instructions about making stocks in the oven on page 7. Use the amount of liquid given in the recipes. In the case of the Beef Consommé on page 49 you need to allow at least 2¼ hours (plus the time to make the stock) in a preheated oven set to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2. Strain the cooked consommé into a saucepan if you want to clarify it using egg whites and shells (see page 49) and continue as the recipe on page 49.
Cooking time: 1¼ hours plus time to make stock • Serves 6 to 8
A really first-class consommé takes a great deal of time and care. The first stage is to prepare a good beef stock (see page 13). In order to darken the colour of the stock, place the beef bones, with any meat adhering to them, in a roasting tin with about 25 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter and cook for 30 minutes in the oven preheated to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Place the bones and all your other ingredients in a large saucepan, add the water and make the stock as described on page 13. Allow the stock to become cold, then remove the fat (see page 12).
Basic additions to the shin of beef and stock are listed below, but the Variations list a number of other ingredients that add interest and flavour.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 675 to 900 g/1½ to 2 lb | shin of beef | 1½ to 2 lb |
| 2.4 litres/4 pints | good beef stock (see page 13) | 10 cups |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| 1 medium to large | onion | 1 medium to large |
| 1 medium | carrot | 1 medium |
| 2 | fresh bay leaves or 1 dried leaf | 2 |
| 300 ml/1½ pint | dry sherry | 1¼ cups |
| To clarify the consommé | ||
| 3 egg whites and their shells, optional, see method |
Cut the meat into small pieces, then place in a large saucepan with the well-strained stock and a little seasoning. Peel the onion and carrot, but leave them whole to prevent them breaking up in the liquid. Add the vegetables and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to boiling point and remove any scum floating on top with a spoon. Cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Strain the soup, using an ultra-fine strainer or preferably a sieve lined with several layers of fine muslin (chemists sell this as gauze).
If you feel the consommé is sufficiently clear, simply reheat it with the sherry, then taste and adjust the seasoning. If not, add the egg whites and shells to the boiling consommé and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Any minute particles will adhere to the whites and shells. Strain once more through muslin, as described above, then reheat, add the sherry and serve.
• Add several chopped celery stalks and their leaves; a small, whole peeled turnip could be added, plus several peeled garlic cloves, sprigs of parsley, and/or thyme or tarragon. A deseeded and halved red pepper may also be added for an interesting taste.
Jellied Consommé: If you want the consommé to become lightly jellied to serve cold, cook a small part of knuckle of veal or 2 pig’s trotters with the other ingredients.
Lamb Consommé: This is far less popular than its beef counterpart but is none the less delicious. Follow the recipe for Beef Consommé but use the Brown Stock (see page 14) made with lamb bones and about 900 g/2 lb diced lean lamb, plus the ingredients given on page 49.
Veal Consommé: This is a delicious consommé to have hot or cold. Follow the recipe for Beef Consommé but substitute shin of beef with a knuckle of veal plus 450 g/1 lb diced lean veal and the White Stock (see page 14) made with veal bones. The finished consommé is very pale, so it is advisable to flavour it with Madeira or port instead of sherry.
Freezing: All these recipes freeze perfectly (see the information about freezing stock on page 16). As alcohol tends to lose some flavour in freezing, add it after defrosting the consommé.
Cooking time: 1¼ hours plus time to make stock • Serves 6 to 8
While the ingredients are different, the method of making Chicken Consommé is exactly the same as Beef Consommé.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 1 | 900 g/2 lb chicken or several chicken portions | 1 |
| 2.4 litres/4 pints | chicken stock (see page 14) | 10 cups |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| 1 or 2 | lemons, as required | 1 or 2 |
| ¼ | celery heart | ¼ |
| 1 medium to large | onion | 1 medium to large |
| 2 | fresh bay leaves or 1 dried leaf | 2 |
| 1 sprig | thyme | 1 sprig |
| 300 ml/½ pint | dry sherry or port | 1¼ cups |
Skin the chicken and cut into portions if necessary. Remove any giblets or dark parts of the inside, which could spoil the colour of the consommé. Put into a saucepan with the stock and add a little seasoning. Pare the zest from the lemons, take care not to use any bitter white pith. Cut the celery into large chunks. Peel the onion and leave it whole. Put the lemon zest, vegetables and herbs into the pan and continue as for Beef Consommé (see page 49).
Strain through muslin or clarify with egg whites and shells, as described on page 49. Add the sherry and a little lemon juice to taste.
Duck Consommé: Follow the recipe for Chicken Consommé, but use duck flesh instead of chicken and duck stock as described on page 14. Discard any skin and excess fat. Instead of thyme use a small sprig of sage. You can replace the lemon zest with that of oranges; bitter Seville oranges give a particularly interesting taste to the soup.
Guinea Fowl Consommé: Follow the recipe for Chicken Consommé, or for Game Consommé (see page 52).
Turkey Consommé: Follow the recipe for Chicken Consommé, but use turkey flesh instead of chicken. If you take a mixture of breast and leg meat, you produce a darker-looking consommé, which has a very good flavour.
The stock used in the recipe can be chicken stock (see page 14), or a similar stock produced from turkey bones or the carcass of the bird.
Freezing: All these consommés freeze well. Freeze as Beef Consommé (see page 50).
Cooking time: 1¼ to 2 hours plus time to make stock • Serves 6 to 8
This consommé has a particularly rich and delicious flavour. You can use stewing venison, jointed rabbit or joints of hare, pheasant or other game birds. The cooking time depends on the tenderness of the game used. Elderly game birds make a first-class consommé; to extract the full flavour cook the flesh until tender.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 900 g/2 lb | game flesh, see above | 2 lb |
| 2.4 litres/4 pints | game stock (see page 14) | 10 cups |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| about 6 | juniper berries, optional | about 6 |
| 1 medium to large | onion | 1 medium to large |
| – | celery heart or about 100 g/4 oz (¼ lb) celeriac | ¼ |
| 1 medium | carrot | 1 medium |
| 2 | fresh bay leaves or 1 dried leaf | 2 |
| 1 sprig | rosemary | 1 sprig |
| 300 ml/½ pint | Madeira or port | 1¼ cups |
Cut the venison or other game into pieces. Place in a saucepan with the stock, a little seasoning and the juniper berries. Peel the onion but leave it whole. Chop the celery into large pieces but leave the celeriac in one piece. Peel the carrot and leave whole. Put the vegetables and herbs into the pan and follow the directions for Beef Consommé (see page 49).
Strain through muslin or then clear with egg whites and shells, as described on page 49. Add the Madeira or port.
Freezing: As Beef Consommé (see pages 16 and 50).
Cooking time: 40 minutes • Serves 4 to 6
Fish Consommé is not served as frequently as meat consommés but it is an excellent basis for a clear fish soup to which you can add shellfish or small pieces of prime fish, such as sole or turbot.
There is no need to buy fish to make the consommé if you have sufficient fish heads, bones and trimmings.
This recipe is made in the same way as the Fish Stock on page 15 but with a higher percentage of fish, so giving a stronger flavour to the liquid.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 1 kg/2¼ lb | fish, see above | 2¼ lb |
| 1.8 litres/3 pints | water | 7½ cups |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground white pepper | to taste |
| 1 medium | onion | 1 medium |
| 1 medium | carrot | 1 medium |
| 1 | celery stick | 1 |
| 2 | fresh bay leaves or 1 dried bay leaf | 2 |
| 1 sprig | chervil or parsley | 1 sprig |
| to taste | little lemon zest | to taste |
| 300 ml/½ pint | dry white wine | 1¼ cups |
Wash the fish and put into a large saucepan with the water and add a little seasoning. Peel the onion and carrot but leave them whole, add to the water with the chopped celery, herbs and lemon zest. Bring to the boil, remove any scum that may float to the top of the liquid, then cover the pan. Lower the heat and simmer for 35 minutes. Strain through fine muslin (see page 49), then return to the pan with the wine and heat.
• Add about 150 ml/¼ pint (⅔ cup) dry sherry to the liquid instead of the white wine.
Seafood Consommé: Make the consommé, strain very carefully, then reheat. Add a mixture of flaked crabmeat (preferably white), peeled prawns and finely diced lobster. Heat for a few minutes only so that the shellfish does not become overcooked and tough. Top each portion of consommé with a little cream.
Sole Consommé: Skin fillets of sole and cut the flesh into small goujons (ribbons) about 2.5 cm/1 inch in length. Put into the hot consommé and poach for a few minutes. Top the soup with cream and chopped fennel leaves.
Halibut, turbot or other white fish can be used instead of sole.
Fish and Tomato Consommé: Follow the main recipe, but add 450 g/1 lb skinned and deseeded tomatoes to the other ingredients. Strain and return to the pan. Taste the liquid and add a little tomato purée (paste) for a stronger tomato taste. For a more piquant flavour add a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
This soup can be topped with cream and small pieces of sun-dried tomatoes.
Freezing: This consommé freezes well.
Cooking time: 30 minutes • Serves 4
This fresh tomato consommé has a most refreshing flavour. It is ideal to serve hot or cold. Use really ripe tomatoes so you can extract the maximum amount of juice and flavour.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 1 medium | onion | 1 medium |
| 2 | garlic cloves | 2 |
| 675 g/1½ lb | tomatoes | 1½ lb |
| 1.2 litres/2 pints | vegetable stock (see page 14) | 5 cups |
| 1 tablespoon | lemon juice | 1¼ tablespoons |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| to taste | cayenne pepper, optional | to taste |
Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Cut the tomatoes into pieces on a plate so no juice is wasted. Put the onion, garlic and tomatoes, with any juice, into a saucepan with the stock, lemon juice and a very little seasoning. Bring the liquid to simmering point. Lower the heat and cook steadily for 30 minutes. Strain carefully through fine muslin (gauze) placed over a sieve. (Use a nylon or hair sieve if possible as metal sieves sometimes give a faint metallic flavour to the liquid.) Reheat and taste the consommé and add any additional seasoning required.
For details of cold, jellied and iced consommés, see pages 50, 178, 189 and 191.
• If you feel the consommé is lacking flavour before straining, add a little concentrated tomato purée (paste). Heat for a few minutes, then strain as above.
• A red deseeded chilli pepper could be added to the other ingredients but in this case omit the cayenne pepper.
Beetroot and Tomato Consommé: Use 450 g/1 lb tomatoes and 350 g/12 oz (¾ lb) skinned and grated cooked beetroot with the other ingredients given above, but omit the cayenne. Cook as before, then strain.
Cucumber and Tomato Consommé: Use 1 large peeled and sliced cucumber with 350 g/12 oz (¾ lb) tomatoes, a sprig of mint and the other ingredients given in the recipe above. Omit the cayenne. Cook as before, then strain.
Freezing: All the recipes freeze well.
Each of these consommés can be cooked in a large bowl in the microwave. Allow about 20 minutes’ cooking time.
Cooking time: 10 minutes plus time to make stock • Serves 4 to 6
This is an interesting way to combine a good beef stock or consommé (pages 13 and 49) with cheese and eggs, thus turning it into a light meal. Where possible, grate the Parmesan just before using – it has much more flavour than when ready-grated.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 1.2 litres/2 pints | beef stock or consommé (see pages 13 and 49) | 5 cups |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| 4 to 6 | eggs | 4 to 6 |
| 100 g/4 oz | Parmesan cheese | ¼ lb |
| To garnish | ||
| chopped chives |
Bring the stock or consommé to the boil and season to taste. Lower the heat until the liquid is boiling gently. Beat the eggs. Grate the cheese, blend with the eggs and gradually pour the mixture into the soup, stirring with a fork as you do so. Serve as soon as the eggs form ribbons in the liquid. Top with the chives.
Freezing: While the stock or consommé can be frozen, the soup containing the eggs cannot.
Cooking time: 25 minutes plus time to make stock • Serves 4
This classic Greek soup is wonderfully refreshing. If using chicken stock cubes rather than real chicken stock (see page 14), do not use too many as the delicate flavour of the eggs and lemon should predominate.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 1.2 litres/2 pints | chicken stock (see page 14) | 5 cups |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| 50 g/2 oz | long-grain rice | ⅓ cup |
| 2 or 3 | eggs, see method | 2 or 3 |
| 3 tablespoons | lemon juice, or to taste | 3¾ tablespoons |
Bring the stock to the boil, season lightly if necessary, then add the rice. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is just tender. Beat the eggs (3 eggs give a richer soup) with the lemon juice in a basin. Gradually whisk in a little of the hot stock from the saucepan until smooth. Tip the egg and lemon mixture into the saucepan and simmer very gently for 3 or 4 minutes only. Do not allow the soup to boil at this stage. Serve at once.
Do not freeze.
This soup can be cooked in a large bowl in a microwave. Use full power until the rice is cooked. Blend the eggs and lemon juice as above, add a little stock, return to the bowl; place in the microwave on defrost (or a lower setting if your microwave has a high output, see page 7). Heat for 1 to 2 minutes only, stirring or whisking at ½-minute intervals. Allow to stand for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
Cooking time: 20 minutes plus time to make stock • Serves 4 to 6
This Danish soup is made with bread and beer flavoured with cinnamon and lemon rind. Although pumpernickel bread gives a rich colour and flavour, any wholemeal bread can be used instead of the mixture of breads. It is imperative to allow adequate soaking time for the bread. It is best to select a light ale unless you know you would appreciate a richer dark beer.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 225 g/8 oz | pumpernickel bread | ½ lb |
| 100 g/4 oz | white or wholemeal (wholewheat) bread | ¼ lb |
| 600 ml/1 pint | chicken stock (see page 14) or water | 2½ cups |
| 1.2 litres/2 pints | beer or ale | 5 cups |
| 2.5 cm/1 inch or 1 teaspoon | cinnamon stick or ground cinnamon | 1 inch or 1 teaspoon |
| 1 | lemon | 1 |
| 4 tablespoons | brown sugar | 5 tablespoons |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
Break the bread, including the crusts, into small pieces. Heat the chicken stock or water, pour over the bread and soak for several hours or even overnight.
Tip the bread mixture into a large pan and stir briskly until smooth. Stir in the beer and cinnamon. Pare the rind from the lemon, avoiding the bitter white pith. Add the rind to the bread mixture. Halve the lemon, squeeze out the juice and add 1 tablespoon (1¼ tablespoons) to the pan but retain the remainder in case it is required.
Heat the soup, stirring well, and add the sugar and seasoning. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick, if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning and add extra lemon juice if necessary.
Freezing: This soup freezes well, but the beer or ale loses some of its flavour. It is better to freeze the soaked bread and lemon mixture, adding the remaining ingredients when defrosted and reheated.
To shorten the soaking time, make the bread into fine crumbs and soak for about 15 to 30 minutes.
Cooking time: 25 minutes • Serves 4 to 6
This soup should be made with one of the light German beers (lagers). The addition of cream gives it a surprisingly mellow taste.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 50 g/2 oz | butter | ¼ cup |
| 50 g/2 oz | plain (all-purpose) flour | ½ cup |
| 1 litre/1¾ pints | light beer | scant 4¼ cups |
| 1 tablespoon | lemon juice | 1¼ tablespoons |
| 300 ml/½ pint | double (heavy) cream | 1¼ cups |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| ¼ to ½ teaspoon | ground cinnamon | ¼ to ½ teaspoon |
| 2 teaspoons | brown sugar, or to taste | 2 teaspoons |
Heat the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and continue stirring over a low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the beer and lemon juice. Bring to the boil and cook over a medium heat, stirring all the time until the soup thickens slightly. Lower the heat, cover the pan and continue simmering for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat so the soup is no longer boiling, add the cream, seasoning and cinnamon. Stir well, then add the sugar. Heat gently, without boiling, for a further 2 or 3 minutes and serve with crisp toast. (Sometimes toast is placed in soup bowls and the soup poured over.)
• Black bread or pumpernickel is an excellent alternative to toast.
• Follow the recipe for Weinsuppe (page 59), but substitute beer for the wine, or use half beer and half chicken stock.
• Use single (light) cream instead of double cream and mix it with 2 level teaspoons of cornflour (cornstarch). Pour into a small saucepan, stir over the heat until thickened, then whisk into the hot, but not boiling, beer soup. (Instead of adding cornflour to the cream, use 1 extra level tablespoon [1¼ tablespoons] of flour at the beginning of the method.)
Do not freeze.
Cooking time: 15 minutes • Serves 4 to 6
This German soup has a most refreshing flavour. It is excellent made with a sparkling Moselle wine, but other white wines, still or sparkling, can be used instead. Once the egg yolks are added to the hot, but not boiling, liquid, the soup must be cooked very slowly so there is no fear of it becoming overheated and curdling.
| Metric/Imperial | Ingredients | American |
| 1 | lemon | 1 |
| 600 ml/1 pint | white wine, see above | 2½ cups |
| 600 ml/1 pint | water | 2½ cups |
| 5 cm/2 inches | cinnamon stick | 2 inches |
| 2 | egg yolks | 2 |
| to taste | salt and freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| 1 teaspoon | caster sugar, or to taste | 1 teaspoon |
Pare the zest from the lemon in fairly wide strips, avoiding the bitter white pith. Put the wine and nearly all the water into a pan with the lemon zest and cinnamon stick and bring just to boiling point. Simmer for 3 minutes.
Mix the egg yolks with the remaining water in a basin. Add 2 tablespoons (2½ tablespoons) of the very hot liquid, mix thoroughly, then pour into the pan. Lower the heat and whisk briskly until the mixture thickens sufficiently to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the lemon zest and cinnamon stick. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste, then serve with crisp toast or plain biscuits.
Freezing: This soup must be freshly made.
This soup can be made in a microwave. Use defrost (or a lower setting if your microwave has a high output, see page 7) when the egg yolks are added, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir or whisk at ½-minute intervals. Allow to stand for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.