Consommé

This clear soup is made from rich, clarified stock. It is a time consuming, luxurious, and expensive dish that results in crystal-clear, full-flavored liquid broth devoid of any trace of fat. It is believed that the ancestor of consommé was a rich Medieval soup which eventually evolved into the clear, flavorful dish we know today.

Since it requires expertise and time, consommé is often served at formal events as an appetizer, and it is garnished exclusively with mild-flavored ingredients which do not overpower the delicate soup, such as egg yolks or sliced vegetables.

Consommé can also act as a base for numerous other soups, such as double consommé, Brunoise, and French onion soup. There are also popular varieties known as chilled or jellied consommé.

Both varieties are served cold, thickened by gelatin which is extracted from the bones during the preparation of the original stock.