242—The Veloutés

These differ from the purées, cullises, and bisques in that their invariable thickening element is a velouté whose preparation is in harmony with the nature of the ingredients of the soup, these being either vegetables, poultry, game, fish, or shell-fish.

The Preparation of the Velouté.—Allow three and one-half oz. of white roux per quart of the diluent. This diluent should be ordinary consommé for a velouté of vegetables or herbs, chicken consommé for a poultry velouté, or very clear fish fumet for a fish or shell-fish velouté. The procedure is exactly the same as that described under No. 25, Ordinary Velouté Sauce of the leading sauces.

The Apportionment of the Ingredients.—In general, the quantities of each constituent are in the following proportion:—Velouté, one-half; the purée of the substance which characterises the soup, one-quarter; the consommé used to bring the soup to its proper consistence, one-quarter. In respect of finishing ingredients, use, for thickening, the yolks of three eggs and one-fifth pint of cream per quart of soup.

Thus for four quarts of poultry velouté we arrive at the following quantities:—

Poultry velouté, three pints; purée of fowl obtained from a cleaned and drawn hen weighing about three lbs., one quart; consommé for regulating consistence, one quart; leason, twelve yolks and four-fifths pint of cream.

Rules Relative to the Preparation.—If the velouté is to be of lettuce, chicory, celery, or mixed herbs, these ingredients are scalded for five minutes, drained, gently stewed in butter, and added to the prepared velouté in which their cooking is completed.

If carrots, turnips, onions, &c., are to be treated, finely mince them, stew them in butter without allowing them to acquire any colour, and add them to the velouté.

If fowl be the base, cook it in the velouté. This done, withdraw it, remove the meat, finely pound same, and add it to the velouté, which is then rubbed through tammy.

In the case of fish the procedure is the same as for fowl. For game, roast or sauté the selected piece, bone it, finely pound the meat, and combine the latter with the velouté, which should then be rubbed through tammy.

For shell-fish, cook these in a No. 228, Mirepoix, finely pound them together with the latter, add to the velouté, and pass the whole through tammy.

The Completing of Velouté.—Having passed the soup through tammy, bring it to its proper degree of consistence with the necessary quantity of consommé, boil while stirring, and place in a bain-marie.

At the last moment finish the soup with the leason and two oz. of butter per quart of liquid.

Garnish for Velouté.—In the case of vegetables: No. 215, Chiffonade, fine printaniers, or brunoise.

For fowl and game: The fillets of one or the other, poached and cut into small dice or in julienne-fashion; little quenelles made with the raw fillets, or either fowl or game royales.

For fish: Small dice or fine julienne of fish fillets poached in butter.

For shell-fish: Small dice of cooked shell-fish meat put aside for the purpose.

Remarks.—In certain circumstances these garnishes are increased by means of three tablespoonfuls of poached rice per quart of the soup.