January/February 2010
Makes seven cups
Stock
- 2 quarts veal stock
- 3 cups assorted mushrooms
Place mushrooms in the veal stock and slowly bring to a simmer. Let cook for 10 minutes and turn off heat to steep for 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
Raft
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground veal or beef
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 pound combined julienne carrots, onions, and celery
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup Madeira
- 1 ounce red-wine vinegar
Place all ingredients in a sauce pot big enough to hold the stock as well. Add stock and mix. Slowly bring heat up. As the raft begins to harden, poke a hole on one side of the raft to fit a small ladle into it, so the consommé can breathe. With the hole in the raft, take a ladle of the stock and baste the top of the raft. Once the raft has completely formed (the diameter of the raft is firm), cook for 20 minutes and strain through a chinois into a coffee filter. Reserve warm.
Truffle Flan
- 1 cup 40 percent cream
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 ounces truffle juice
- Truffles and chives, for garnish
Add all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Mix. Pour into 2-ounce greased ramekins. Place in a water bath; cover with foil, leaving two corners open. Bake at 325 for 30 to
40 minutes or until just firm to the touch. Reserve warm.
To finish: Blanch 1½ cups assorted wild mushrooms in consommé. Unmold the flan and pour into a soup cup. Pour the consommé around the flan and garnish with sliced truffles and chives.
