Bacon Consomme
- 1 kilogram sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch (1.25-centimeter) pieces
- 2 small or 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 1 head garlic, peeled and separated into cloves
- 2 grams crushed red pepper flakes
- 170 grams red wine
- 170 grams smoked soy sauce (see page 62)
- 2,500 grams water
- 6.25 grams agar (see Sources, page 309)
- Put the bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat.
- Cook the bacon slowly to render the fat, about 30 minutes.
- As the fat renders, pour it into a metal bowl or other heatproof container and reserve for another use.
- When the bacon is evenly browned, add the onions, garlic, and red pepper.
- Cook until the onions are tender and lightly browned.
- Transfer the mixture to a strainer set over a bowl and drain any excess bacon fat.
- Return the pan to medium heat, add the wine and soy sauce, and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.
- Pour the pan drippings into a pressure cooker and add the bacon and onion mixture.
- Add the water and cook on high pressure for 1 hour.
- Let the pressure naturally dissipate.
- Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing on the solids to extrude any juices.
- Let the stock cool and transfer to the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
- Any bacon fat left in the stock will solidify on the surface.
- Remove and discard this fat and strain the stock one more time.
- You need 2,500 grams of bacon stock.
- Pour the bacon stock into a stockpot set over medium heat.
- Whisk the agar into the stock.
- Bring the stock to a simmer, stirring to prevent the agar from settling to the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the stock for 5 minutes to fully hydrate the agar.
- Pour the mixture into another pan to cool, then refrigerate.
- When the bacon stock is cold and gelled, use a whisk to finely break apart the gel structure.
- Return the stock to the refrigerator for several hours to rest.
- Once the broken gel has rested, it releases its liquid more easily.
- Line a strainer with four layers of cheesecloth and set over a container large enough to hold the strainer and the liquid.
- Place the straining setup in the refrigerator and let the broken gel strain for a few hours.
- Merely breaking the gel and squeezing it in batches through the cheesecloth can speed up this process.
- While this produces consomme quickly, the final yield is less.
kilogram, onion, garlic, red pepper, red wine, soy sauce, water, agar
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/bacon-consomme-374198 (may not work)