Peta, of the blog Peta Eats, was our lovely hostess for the Daring Cook’s September 2011 challenge, “Stock to Soup to Consommé”. We were taught the meaning between the three dishes, how to make a crystal clear Consommé if we so chose to do so, and encouraged to share our own delicious soup recipes! When I saw this month’s challenge I was a bit intimidated as I had never made Consommé before, but then I thought that this would be a great chance to learn something new. Besides, it is still a bit cold down here, so what better challenge than to make a nice hearty soup? The challenge was mainly about making stock from scratch, turning it into a soup and serving it with an accompaniment of our choice. The Consommé bit was an “optional step”, but I was not going to miss out on the chance to try it! As it was my first attempt, I decided to make it from a simple home made white chicken stock (which means the chicken bones are not roasted prior to being cooked in the stock). I also chose what I thought was the easiest method to make Consommé: the freeze (gelatine) filtration method. Choosing the accompaniment was easy… being Italian, I chose to make the most classic Italian accompaniment for Consommé: tortellini (stuffed pasta filled with pork meat, prosciutto, mortadella and Parmigiano Reggiano). To be precise, I made the tortellini version from Bologna (there are many variations in Italy with slightly different fillings). Then on the spur of the moment I decided to “spice up” my basic Consommé and added some saffron to it… it tasted great and I loved the intense yellow colour!
For Consommé – recipe adapted from Peta at the Daring Cook’s Challenge
Ingredients:
2kg (4½ lb) chicken bones
500gm (1 lb) chicken wings
500gm (1 lb) white mirepoix – 4 medium onions and 4 large celery ribs
Bouquet Garni – parsley, bay leaves, a sprig of thyme and whole peppercorns
Up to 5 liters of water (I used about 4 – 1 gallon)
Powdered gelatine (follow package instructions for the ratio of gelatine to liquid)
Salt
Saffron, a pinch
For Tortellini di Bologna
Ingredients (for 6 people – you can refrigerate them for a couple of days or freeze them)
For the dough:
Egg pasta dough as per the instructions on How to make egg pasta dough (the filling is enough for 300 gms – 10.5 oz. flour and 3 eggs)
For the filling:
100 gms – 3.5 oz. pork loin
50 gms – 1.75 oz. mortadella
50 gms – 1.75 oz. Italian prosciutto (possibly Parma)
50 gms – 1.75 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 egg
Nutmeg, a pinch
Salt
To make Consommé
Put the chicken carcasses and wings in a big pot. Add the mirepoix (peeled onions and celery stalks) and the bouquet garni (I put the herbs in a normal teaball, but it would be better to use a “sachet d’ épice” made with a cheesecloth bag as the teaball was not very big). Cover with water.
Put the pot on the fire and bring it to a boil. Now reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered and without stirring for 3 to 4 hours. Remember to strain off the fat/froth with a slotted spoon every now and then.
At this point you have a tasty chicken stock. Strain it through a sieve lined with a muslin cloth or a coffee filter and discard the bones, mirepoix etc. Keep aside.
To make Consommé (which is basically a filtered and “purified” stock that becomes clear and almost transparent) I used the freeze (gelatine) filtration method.
Measure the stock and enough gelatine powder to set it (follow the instructions on the package for quantities, as they vary). Dissolve the gelatine powder in 1 cup/240 ml of the stock. Then add it to the remaining hot stock and dissolve it by mixing it well.
Now, quickly cool the stock by placing the whole pot into your sink and running cold water around it. Pour it into containers and place in the fridge.
Allow the stock to set fully (this is really important) then place it into the freezer to freeze solid (overnight). If the stock is put into the freezer before it sets solid it will not separate properly when you thaw it.
The following day, chop the frozen jelly into chunks and put them into a sieve lined with a filter cloth in the refrigerator. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator. This process cannot be rushed. It has to happen in the refrigerator so the gelatine and any fat solids don’t melt and run through your filter cloth. This will take at least one day.
Now you should have a crystal clear liquid: your Consommé is ready.
See the difference between the stock and the Consommé!
To make Tortellini di Bologna
To prepare the filling, mince the pork loin, mortadella and prosciutto for 3 times in a meat mincer. If you don’t have a meat mincer you can use a mixer (the consistency will be a bit different but the taste won’t change).
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Add the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, egg, nutmeg and a pinch of salt (make sure to taste before adding salt as mortadella, prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano have a high sodium content). Mix well and keep your filling in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Prepare the egg pasta dough as per the instructions on How to make egg pasta dough and then proceed to make tortellini as per the tutorial on How to make tortellini (I made the smaller 4 cm tortellini to have with the Consommé).
Cook the tortellini following the steps on How to cook pasta al dente. Only in this case you will not have a pre set cooking time. This will vary on the thickness of your tortellini (it should take approximately a couple of minutes to cook if you have just made the pasta. If a number of hours have passed since you made the pasta then it would be slightly dry and could take between 10 to 12 minutes to cook). So, the best solution is to taste it! Remember, to check the joint, where your pasta is thicker. It does have to remain firm to be al dente.
NOTE: when making tortellini with soup, I would cook them in the soup/stock itself so the tortellini take up the soup’s flavours. In this case though, I did not want to risk the Consommé getting “ruined” or “cloudy” in case a little of the filling came out… or all my work would have been undone! So I cooked them separately and then mixed them with the Consommé.
While the tortellini are cooking, warm up your Consommé, add salt to taste and a pinch of saffron to it. Mix well.
When the pasta is cooked, put a few tortellini in the plates and cover them with the chicken and saffron Consommé. Enjoy warm.
Oh, Manu!!! Everything about this recipe is amazing! The consomme is so vibrant and clear. Your tortellini is perfectly executed!!! I wish I could triple buzz this!!!!
I never made consommé, and it’s a very long process, but the result is awesome! I’d like a dish of your consommé with tortellini (ah, tortellini, I love them)!
By the way, that pan-looking dish is fabulous!
Hehehe thanks! The dish is actually a “tegamino” that I bought to make eggs… hahahaha But it can be also used as a serving dish for “tapas”… and I thought it would work well in this case as I did not want the tortellini to fall at the bottom of a deep dish! Just for the sake of presentation! 😉
What a delightful, bright yellow color of the consomme, it looks like it come out of five star restaurant! What a special recipe 🙂
Nice! And your tortellinis look so perfect! Mine never look perfect. But then…I’ve never made them 🙂 Spectacular dish, darling. And I love that you Indian-fushioned it up with some saffron. Well done!
That looks so appetizing! I must admit, I’ve never cooked with saffron, but always think about picking up up so I have it.
Wow, this looks amazing! Saffron makes everything delicious and I am so impressed with your tortellini! I’ve never made them myself. Yours are just perfect.
Manu this consomme is beautiful!! And your tortellini!! Amazing job! I love the addition of saffron, makes the soup such a beautiful color and must give it such a great flavor.
The colour of the consommé is stunning so so beautiful. And the filled pasta is a brilliant idea. Superb effort well done. Exquisite! Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.
Thank you so much Audax… it is a great compliment coming from such a talented foodie! I had no idea you are from Sydney too! 🙂
I didn’t try the freezing method but it looks like it worked perfectly for you!
Wow – what a beautiful and thorough post! Your photos are amazing, and your consomme even more so. Wonderful work on the challenge!
Wow Manu! This whole process looks so inspiring. The frozen jelly looks beautiful and then all that filling … It’s interesting to see you Italians use Saffron in such a different way than Persians. We usually crush the saffron threads and then dissolve them in hot water. Either way it’s tasty.:-)
Manu, you are amazing….. you made consommé from scratch? Really impressive! I never made it before although I use the cubicle store-bought consommé all the time. This looks like a lot of work, however, I’m sure there is nothing better than homemade consommé. It’s definitely for a special occasion. I’d love to drink this up!
What an incredibly flavourful soup. I adore saffron! Very impressive that you made your own tortellini. The consume sounds incredible.
That’s a lot of tortellini… well done.
The safron is a great idea, it looks wonderful!
Stay JOLLY!
D&S
Gorgeous consomme! I would never have thought of using a teaball – great idea!
Sunshine in a bowl!
Manu,
Many people have been posting about consomme in the last few days, but yours is, by far, the best!! Your first picture is so beautiful & looks so delicious! It’s been ages since I’ve made that raft to make consomme! It’s so time consuming! I do always make homemade stock. Maybe I need to make consomme soon too 🙂 Great post, as usual!! Kay
Thank you for your wonderful comment Kay! 🙂 I had never made consomme’… and I have to say, it looks great… but it is A LOT of work… I don’t think I will be making it regularly… But for special occasions it is surely worth the effort! 😉
I have never eaten consomme but by the look of it and after reading your recipe .. i can already say how much I am going to love it.
Manu, ma che bonta’ Che belle foto! Come sempre bravissima!!!
I must say Manu I am impressed girl, you made it from scratch…
Now thats what you call dedication.
This looks so delicious and saffron adds such a nice color…
Lovely
What a beautiful golden consomme and I have never made it before but that looks fascinating! :O
Your photos are beautiful and the recipe sounds so good.
What a beautiful soup! It looks so scrumptious and tasty. Those totellini are pretty.
Cheers,
Rosa
Another work of art! Your photos are stunning–I can almost taste the food when I look at them. Beautiful, yummy job!
Great dish as usual! I want to try an make stock this winter. It seems like it should be a long, but relatively easy process and I love the idea of having good stock for my soups and risotti…
Wow! Looks absolutely perfect! It really is crystal clear!
Sorry for the delay Manu..I visited the post many times and every time something would come up.
I was really tight on time this month and was considering skipping this challenge then I saw your amazing consumme on the forum and thought:(Oh! this looks heavenly! I can’t miss this one)…
as always you did an AMAZING job on the challenge Manu
I like this method of making consomme’! It’s a lot easier than straining, straining, and straining, and the egg white method. I have the patience to do this one. 🙂 Beautiful, beautiful dish!
Your tortellini looks so good! I learn so much each time I visit your blog. Great job Manu that soup looks delicate and refined!
We’ve used the freeze filtration method, it’s time consuming but so worth it! Your consomme is crystal clear 🙂 Your whole dish looks delicious!
omg… i cant say much but this looks delish!
Manu, dish looks like from the 5 star restaurant prepared by the executive chef….bravo:)
Wow! This is really amazing! I never knew about Consommé before and this really takes a lot of time and most importantly, patience! 😉
Love your cute little tortellini too! 😀
Manu, what an excellent post and really clearly explained. The consommé looks amazing. Really good tip to freeze the jelly.
A lengthy process but the results are amazing! I have been on a saffron kick lately too.
Manu, you seriously never cease to amaze!
Your consommé is so beautiful! The saffron strands, those perfectly formed tortellini, crystal clear soup – wow!
I love the craftsmanship that goes into these little tortellini. The saffron broth looks crystal clear pool of deliciousness. I will substitute the pork with beef or chicken for dietary restrictions. Looks wonderful!