Consomme Clarification

A consomme is a stock taken to its highest expression — perfectly clear, deeply flavoured, almost gelatinous on the spoon — and the clarification step is what gets it there. Whisk egg whites with a little ground meat or vegetables ('the raft' ingredients) into a cool stock, then bring it slowly up to a bare simmer, stirring just until the whites coagulate. They float to the top and form a porous raft that strains the stock from below as it gently bubbles up through it for forty minutes or so. Don't stir again — once that raft is set, breaking it back into the liquid clouds the consomme.