Tomato consommé

Tomato consommé Photo: Jacob Brown

Ingredients

• 2 sticks of celery sliced
• 1 bulb of fennel
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tins of tomatoes roughly puréed in a food processor
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 large egg whites, chilled
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/2 cup ice, lightly crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar

Method

Cut fronds from fennel stalks and reserve. Cut whole fennel (with stalks) in half lengthwise and
core. Separate layers, reserving 3 or 4 tender inner pieces, and coarsely chop remaining fennel,
including stalks.

Cook onions, garlic, celery and chopped fennel in oil in a suitable heavy pot over a moderate heat,
stirring frequently, until softened, approximately 10 minutes.

Stir in puréed tomato, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Pour tomato mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a 4-quart saucepan, pressing hard on solids
and then discarding them, and bring tomato broth to a full boil.

Take broth of heat and allow to cool until room temperature.

Whisk together egg whites, herbs, ice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon
pepper in a bowl until frothy, then pour into broth, whisking vigorously until incorporated. (Egg
mixture will rise to surface and form a "raft.")

When broth returns to a simmer. Find a place where bubbles break through raft and gently enlarge hole
to the size of a ladle. Cook broth at a bare simmer, uncovered, without stirring (keep raft opening clear
by gently spooning out any froth), until broth is clear, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat and, disturbing raft as little as possible, carefully ladle out consommé
through opening in raft, tilting saucepan as necessary, and transfer to cleaned fine-mesh
sieve lined with a double layer of dampened paper towels set over a bowl or large glass measure.
Discard raft.

Chill consommé, uncovered, until cold, about 1 1/2 hours.

Just before serving, season consommé with salt.

Slice reserved tender fennel into thin slivers and toss with fennel fronds, pear tomatoes, and vinegar.

Divide consommé and tomatoes into chilled bowls.