Recipe by Laura Calder
Watch the demonstration video for this elegant dish and elevate your dinner party with its crystal-clear beauty.
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Servings: 4
- Nutritional Information per Serving (1 of 4): Calories 437, Total Fat 26 g, Saturated Fat 10 g, Carbohydrates 15 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein 35 g, Cholesterol 160 mg, Sodium 1525 mg
- Total Time: 2 hours 43 minutes
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes
- Resting Time: 2 hours 8 minutes
- Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 to 1 cups (375 ml) homemade beef consomme (recipe below)
- 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 tablespoon Cognac
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 eggs
- 8 fresh tarragon leaves
Beef Consomme (Ghost Soup)
- 1 pound (500 g) ground beef
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- Greens of 1 leek, diced and rinsed
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 3 egg whites
- A handful of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 6 cups (1.5 liters) fat-free homemade beef stock
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pour the beef stock into a saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let it sit for 5 minutes to soften. Warm gently while stirring to dissolve the gelatin. Remove from heat, stir in the Cognac, and season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly, then pour a thin layer into four ramekins. Refrigerate until tacky but not fully set. Reserve the remaining mixture.
- Meanwhile, place the eggs in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil uncovered. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 8 minutes. Drain, cool under cold water, peel, and halve lengthwise.
- Once the gelatin is semi-set, arrange tarragon leaves attractively on top (best side down). Place an egg half on each, yolk side down. Pour remaining consomme over. Refrigerate until fully set.
- To serve, unmold onto plates with a small pile of peppery arugula and buttered toast triangles for a sophisticated bite.
Beef Consomme Preparation
- In a large bowl, mix ground beef, celery, carrot, leek greens, tomatoes, parsley, and egg whites. Pour beef stock into a pot, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the mixture. Heat gently, whisking for 10 minutes until frothy. Simmer without stirring; a "raft" will form on top.
- Ladle a hole in the raft and simmer 30 minutes more.
- Strain through cheesecloth-lined strainer. Serve hot as a flavorful "ghost soup," garnished if desiredthis technique transforms stock into pure elegance.
Recipe adapted from French Food at Home by Laura Calder, published by William Morrow, Harper Collins, 2003.
