Monday, April 21, 2014

Rosie Makes Soup - Potato, Leek, and Celery Soup.

 It's gray and drizzling.
 And windy.


 Pretty clouds.

 And it's cold.
This is Spring???

 
It's a day for soup.
I'm making potato, leek, and celery soup
with some hot jalapeno sauce added for a little pop.

 First I'm going to make stock.
I pulled two bags of chicken bones out of my freezer and ...


... coarse-chopped 2 carrots, 1 celery stalk, and one onion.
Don't even bother to peel.
That's just more flavor.

Throw it all in a big pot.
Add about a tablespoon of kosher salt to start
and a handful of peppercorns.


Cover with about 2 quarts of water.

I added in 3-4 bay leaves and some dried thyme and fresh parsley.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about an hour.
Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Let cool, then cover, and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning,
scrape off the congealed fat on top
and strain the liquid.
What I have now is cloudy chicken stock.
I need to change that.

Take 6 egg whites and whisk well.
Add a cup of cold stock to the egg whites and whisk.
Bring stock to a boil.
Add a cup of hot stock to the egg mixture, whisking.
Then pour the egg white mixture
into the stock.
Keep it in slow, gentle circulation
until it comes to a bare simmer




When it's barely simmering,
scoot the pot to the side and cook one quadrant at a time
for five minutes.
Do not boil.
Bare-simmer.
Keep rotating the pot after five minutes.

After twenty minutes, gently skim off the "raft."

Pour your broth through cheesecloth.
And you end up with a clear, glistening consommé.


 Now, I'm ready to make a potato, leek, and celery soup.
 1 potato
1 leek
1 celery stalk

 Slice the celery and leek
and dice the potato.
I don't bother to peel the potato.

 I added a tablespoon each of oil and unsalted butter in my pan.
Cook the potatoes over medium-high to high heat,
stirring occasionally until browned,
about 5 minutes.

 Add in the leeks and celery 
and cook over medium-low for about 4 minutes.
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

 Add in a tablespoon of flour.
 Cook a minute or two to cook the raw out of the flour.

 Gradually add in 1 1/2 cups chicken consommé, stirring.


 Stir, until thickened.

 Add 1/2 cup cream and heat through.

 I added some chopped celery leaves and fresh thyme leaves on top,
along with a few drops of red jalapeno sauce.

 I like the extra flavor browning the potatoes adds to this.
Potato croutons!
Gives it a certain "richness."

Bon appétit!

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