Consommé Ambassadrice

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Three straight-sided 6 fluid ounce (180 ml) ramekins, the home equivalent of Dariole-moulds
• •Deep roasting pan for the bain-marie
• •Fine-mesh sieve and clean damp cloth
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •2 1/2 to 3 quart warmed soup tureen

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the bain-marie

   Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Butter three straight-sided 6 fluid ounce (180 ml) ramekins very lightly, leaving no thick streaks to mark the custards. Set them in a roasting pan and bring a kettle of water just to the boil. This bain-marie, a hot-water bath, gives the royales the slow, even heat they need to set without becoming porous.

   Dariole-moulds are small Baba-shaped moulds. Straight-sided ramekins are their honest home equivalent because they release cleanly and give enough depth for regular dice.
2. 2

   Mix three royales

   Set out three bowls. In each bowl whisk together 1 egg, 1 yolk, and 1 tablespoon of cream without raising a foam. Whisk the truffle purée into the first, the tomato purée into the second, and the pea purée into the third. Season each sparingly with a pinch of salt and white pepper, remembering that the finished consommé already carries seasoning. Pass each mixture separately through a fine sieve into its prepared ramekin, then tap the ramekins gently against the counter to release hidden air bubbles. Keep the colors separate and wipe the sieve between them.

3. 3

   Poach the royales

   Cover the ramekins loosely with foil. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up their sides, then transfer the pan to the oven. Poach for 25 to 35 minutes, checking each royale separately after 25 minutes. It is ready when the edges are set, the center trembles as one soft piece, and an instant-read thermometer reaches 160°F (71°C). The bath must never bubble. If it begins to simmer or the custards start puffing at the edges, lift the pan out, replace some hot water with cool water, and lower the oven slightly. Ça se rattrape, provided you intervene before the centers curdle.

   The three mixtures may finish at different moments. Remove each ramekin when it is ready instead of making the tender one wait for the slow one.
4. 4

   Cool them completely

   Lift the ramekins from the bath and remove the foil. Let them cool for no more than 45 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Do not try to hurry the cutting while they are warm. Chilling firms the egg and purée just enough to make clean dice while preserving the soft texture that distinguishes a royale from an ordinary baked custard.

5. 5

   Cook the small garnishes

   Bring the water and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt to a bare simmer in a small saucepan. Add the mushrooms and poach until tender but still neat, about 3 minutes, then lift them out. Lower in the chicken fillet and poach without boiling until its center reaches 165°F (74°C), about 6 to 9 minutes depending on thickness. Cool both briefly. Mince them separately and measure exactly 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of cooked chicken and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of cooked mushroom. Their equal volume preserves the source formula; reserve any excess for another meal.

6. 6

   Unmould and dice

   Run a thin knife around each chilled royale. If one clings, stand its base in warm water for 5 seconds, dry it, and try again. Turn each onto a clean board and cut it into regular 1/4 inch (6 mm) dice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between colors. If an edge drags, dip the knife in hot water and dry it before the next cut. Keep the three colors in separate chilled dishes until service.

7. 7

   Bring consommé to boil

   Warm the serving tureen with very hot water, then empty and dry it. Bring the chicken consommé to a clean, full boil in a saucepan, skimming away any surface fat or foam without stirring the broth. Taste it now; a consommé served over cold garnish must be fully seasoned. If fine particles appear, pass it through a sieve lined with a clean damp cloth, return it to the pan, and bring it back to the boil.

8. 8

   Pour and serve

   Place the diced truffle, tomato, and pea royales in the hot tureen with the measured chicken fillet and freshly cooked mushrooms. Pour the boiling consommé directly over the cold garnishes and stir once, very gently, so the colors mingle without breaking. Ladle immediately into warmed consommé cups or shallow soup bowls. Clear amber broth, tender colored dice, nothing extraneous. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Begin with finished chicken consommé, exactly as the source entry does. Ordinary stock is flavorful but it is not interchangeable here; the absolute clarity, concentrated chicken flavor, and clean finish of consommé are the foundation of the dish.
• •The purées must be smooth, thick, and cold. Good canned tomato cooked down and strained is better than a watery fresh tomato, and frozen peas picked at their peak make an excellent green purée. For the truffle royale, use real black truffle purée, not truffle oil.
• •Whisk gently. Froth becomes little holes inside a royale, and those holes show when it is diced. If bubbles remain on the surface after sieving, prick them with the tip of a knife before the ramekins enter the oven.
• •Serve with a dry brut Champagne or a restrained white Burgundy. The wine should refresh the palate without bullying the truffle or the delicacy of the consommé.

Advance Preparation

• •The finished chicken consommé may be made up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Remove every trace of hardened surface fat before reheating.
• •The royales may be baked up to 2 days ahead. Chill them in their ramekins and unmould and dice them on the day of service; keep the colors covered and separate.
• •Poach and mince the chicken earlier on the day of serving. Cook the mushrooms close to service so their flavor remains fresh, and do not combine any garnish with the consommé until the tureen is warm and the broth is boiling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 285g)