Jenny Lind Soup — Clear Broth with Sago
A limpid chicken consommé, barely thickened by translucent sago pearls and softened with a touch of egg yolk and cream. Lukewarm rather than hot, smooth, designed to spare the throat.
A limpid chicken consommé, barely thickened by translucent sago pearls and softened with a touch of egg yolk and cream. Lukewarm rather than hot, smooth, designed to spare the throat.
They were kind enough to give my name to this soup, and I must confess that few dishes were dearer to me on performance evenings. I never took anything hot or sharp that might offend my throat: this clear broth, thickened with those little sago pearls and softened with an egg yolk, I took barely warm, by small spoonfuls. It slipped down, gentle as a hymn, and my voice felt rested. Believe a singer: what you bring to your lips before singing matters as much as the score.
- •Clarified chicken broth — a large saucepan (base)
- •Sago (pearls) — two spoonfuls (gentle thickener)
- •Egg yolks — two (thickener and velvetiness)
- •Sweet cream — a dash (roundness)
- •Fine salt — to taste (seasoning)
Jenny Lind Soup — Clear Broth with Sago
A limpid chicken consommé, barely thickened by translucent sago pearls and softened with a touch of egg yolk and cream. Lukewarm rather than hot, smooth, designed to spare the throat.
Why this dish? A mild soup named after the singer circulated in 19th-century cookbooks: clear broth thickened with sago, nothing irritating or too hot—exactly the kind of dish a soprano "mindful of her voice" favored before going on stage.
They were kind enough to give my name to this soup, and I must confess that few dishes were dearer to me on performance evenings. I never took anything hot or sharp that might offend my throat: this clear broth, thickened with those little sago pearls and softened with an egg yolk, I took barely warm, by small spoonfuls. It slipped down, gentle as a hymn, and my voice felt rested. Believe a singer: what you bring to your lips before singing matters as much as the score.
Ingredients (period version)
- Clarified chicken broth — a large saucepan (base)
- Sago (pearls) — two spoonfuls (gentle thickener)
- Egg yolks — two (thickener and velvetiness)
- Sweet cream — a dash (roundness)
- Fine salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Homemade strained chicken broth — 1 L (base)
- Sago pearls (or tapioca) — 50 g (gentle thickener)
- Egg yolks — 2 (thickener and velvetiness)
- Heavy cream — 5 cl (roundness)
- Fine salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Bring the broth to a simmer and sprinkle in the sago; cook 15 to 20 minutes until the pearls become translucent.
- Beat the egg yolks with the cream in a bowl.
- Temper this mixture with a ladle of hot broth, then stir it back into the pot off the heat (do not boil).
- Adjust salt; the soup should remain smooth and lightly coating.
- Let cool to lukewarm and serve at a gentle temperature, in small portions.
How it was made : Sago, a starch from palm trees imported by shipping companies, was used in the 19th century to thicken delicate soups and desserts for affluent tables. Clear "health" broths were common for convalescents and fragile voices.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a warm glass with finely snipped chives; you can replace sago with tapioca, easier to find, for the same pearly bead effect.
Sources : Charles Emil Hagdahl, Kok-konsten som vetenskap och konst (1879)
Jenny Lind · Charactorium