To Clarify Stock
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Whisk the egg whites with the water until well combined.
Gradually add the boiling stock while continuing to whisk.
Clarify
Place the mixture on the heat and bring to a boil.
Skim off any foam.
Whisk the eggs with the stock until it is nearly boiling again.
Remove from heat.
Let it settle until the egg whites separate.
Strain through a fine cloth to achieve a clear soup.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Egg whites
- As they heat, they coagulate and trap impurities, which then strain out, leaving a clear stock.
- Stock
- Forms the liquid base that is clarified into a clear, flavorful soup.
The step that matters
Bringing the mixture back to a near boil without letting it fully boil. Egg whites must be heated slowly so they form a raft that traps particles. Vigorous boiling breaks the raft apart, leaving the stock cloudy.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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