Heston Blumenthal's chicken consommé

Consommé is a beautifully clear rich soup but it can be a real hassle to make. However, I’ve found a way to make it at home that’s as good as you’d find in any Michelin-starred restaurant. The technique used in this recipe of freezing and defrosting the natural gelatine is great for clarifying any stock. You can then serve it on its own or use it as a base for different flavours such as soy, ginger, garlic, chilli, spring onions, noodles and pak choi.

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken stock, chilled
• 2 dried jasmine flowers

Freezing time 6 hours

Chilling time 24 hours

Instructions

Pour the chilled stock into ice cube trays and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours. Once the stock has frozen, remove from the trays (dipping the trays in warm water will help to loosen the cubes).

Put the cubes into a sieve lined with two layers of wet muslin set on top of a bowl. Cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and return to the fridge to melt gently for 24 hours.

Remove the muslin carefully. Pour the consommé into a clean saucepan and place over a low-medium heat to gently warm through. Place a jasmine flower in each bowl before serving.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.