Name: El Vagon Tacos Med Consome Recipe
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 500 g lean beef (or a mix of beef and veal) , cut into small cubes; 2000 ml cold water; 1 each onion, large, unpeeled, halved; 1 each carrot, roughly chopped; 1 each celery stalk, roughly chopped; 1 each tomato, halved (or 1 tbsp tomato paste); 2 each egg whites; 100 ml cold water (for raft); 1 each bay leaf; 8 each black peppercorns, whole; 1 each fresh thyme sprig; 1.5 tsp salt; 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley; 100 g finely diced cooked chicken or beef (optional); 50 g finely diced cooked carrot (optional); 1 tsp lemon juice or sherry vinegar; 0 to taste salt, to taste; 0 to taste freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Consommé Base

1
Prepare ingredients
Place the beef (or beef and veal mix), halved onion, carrot, celery and tomato in a large non-reactive pot.
2
Cover with cold water
Pour 2 liters (2000 ml) cold water into the pot so the solids are just covered. Cold water helps proteins coagulate properly when heated.
3
Bring to a gentle simmer
Set the pot over medium heat and slowly bring to a very gentle simmer. Do not boil. As it heats, skim any greyish foam from the surface with a fine mesh skimmer.
4
Add aromatics
Add the bay leaf, whole peppercorns, thyme sprig and 1.5 tsp salt. Reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer. Continue to simmer gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour to extract flavor.
5
Strain the stock
After simmering, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean bowl or pot to remove solids. Discard solids. Chill the liquid slightly until lukewarm (around 40°C / 104°F).
6
Make the clarification raft
Whisk egg whites with 100 ml cold water until frothy. Whisk in the skimmed beef bits if desired (you may finely mince any small pieces of cooked meat from the pot) to form a mixture. Pour the egg-white mixture into the lukewarm broth and stir gently to distribute.
7
Heat slowly to form raft
Return the pot to low heat and slowly raise temperature. As the liquid warms, the egg whites and particulate will coagulate and rise to the surface forming a 'raft'. Do not stir once coagulation begins. Maintain a gentle simmer (do not boil) for 20–30 minutes so the raft can trap impurities and clarify the consommé.
8
Clarify by gentle ladling
When the raft is firm and the broth beneath looks clear, carefully make a small hole in the raft near the side of the pot and ladle the clear consommé into a clean container through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. Take care not to disturb the raft.

Clarified Garnish & Finish

9
Adjust seasoning
Taste the clarified consommé and add lemon juice or sherry vinegar (about 1 tsp) and additional salt and freshly ground pepper to brighten and balance the flavor.
10
Prepare garnish
If using, warm the finely diced cooked chicken or beef and diced carrot briefly. Divide the parsley and optional meat/veg among serving bowls (a few teaspoons per bowl). The consommé is traditionally served clear with a small amount of garnish at the bottom.
11
Warm and serve
Gently reheat the clarified consommé to serving temperature (do not boil). Carefully ladle the very clear consommé into bowls over the garnishes. Serve immediately.
12
Storage
Leftover consommé keeps refrigerated for 3–4 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently before serving. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Med Consome Recipe

Ingredients

Consommé Base

Clarified Garnish & Finish

Method

Consommé Base

Prepare ingredients

Cover with cold water

Bring to a gentle simmer

Add aromatics

Strain the stock

Make the clarification raft

Heat slowly to form raft

Clarify by gentle ladling

Clarified Garnish & Finish

Adjust seasoning

Prepare garnish

Warm and serve

Storage

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