Restorative Herb Broth
A clear poultry consommé, long-simmered and scented with gentle herbs, drunk almost like a strengthening tisane. Light, golden, deeply savory without ever weighing on the stomach.
A clear poultry consommé, long-simmered and scented with gentle herbs, drunk almost like a strengthening tisane. Light, golden, deeply savory without ever weighing on the stomach.
My body is but a sorry lodging that the soul puts up with as best it can; so I treat it with clear broths rather than those stews that kill by slow fire. My cook makes the hen sing for three hours over a modest flame, skims patiently, and adds only a little salt and a few herbs from the garden. Believe an old man whom medicine has so often condemned: one lives longer on sobriety than on feasts. I drink this nectar in the morning, pen already in hand, and it restores my mind as clear as the broth is limpid.
- •Barnyard hen — one, with giblets (base of broth, richness in gelatin)
- •Carrots and turnips — a few roots (vegetable sweetness)
- •Leeks and onion — as needed (aromatic base)
- •Parsley, chervil, thyme — a bouquet (herbs for flavor)
- •Coarse salt — in moderate discretion (seasoning)
Restorative Herb Broth
A clear poultry consommé, long-simmered and scented with gentle herbs, drunk almost like a strengthening tisane. Light, golden, deeply savory without ever weighing on the stomach.
Why this dish? Delicate in health all his life, Voltaire followed a light diet of broths and poultry. The "bouillon restaurant" — a concentrated, comforting consommé — is precisely the ancestor of the restaurant: in Paris, as early as the 1760s, merchants sold it to "restore" tired stomachs. The ideal dish for a philosopher who ate little but worked much.
My body is but a sorry lodging that the soul puts up with as best it can; so I treat it with clear broths rather than those stews that kill by slow fire. My cook makes the hen sing for three hours over a modest flame, skims patiently, and adds only a little salt and a few herbs from the garden. Believe an old man whom medicine has so often condemned: one lives longer on sobriety than on feasts. I drink this nectar in the morning, pen already in hand, and it restores my mind as clear as the broth is limpid.
Ingredients (period version)
- Barnyard hen — one, with giblets (base of broth, richness in gelatin)
- Carrots and turnips — a few roots (vegetable sweetness)
- Leeks and onion — as needed (aromatic base)
- Parsley, chervil, thyme — a bouquet (herbs for flavor)
- Coarse salt — in moderate discretion (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Stewing hen (or farm chicken thighs) — 1.2 kg (base of broth)
- Carrots — 2 (sweetness)
- Turnip — 1 (sweetness)
- Leek — 1 (aromatic)
- Onion studded with a clove — 1 (aromatic)
- Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley, chervil) — 1 (herbs)
- Cold water — 2.5 L (liquid)
- Salt — 1 tsp (adjust) (seasoning)
Method
- Place the poultry in cold water, bring gently to a simmer and carefully skim off the gray foam that rises.
- Add the peeled vegetables, the clove-studded onion and the bouquet garni.
- Let simmer with very small bubbles, uncovered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours without ever boiling hard (otherwise the broth becomes cloudy).
- Strain through a fine cloth to obtain a clear, golden liquid.
- Salt moderately, degrease the surface, and serve piping hot in a bowl or cup, sprinkled with fresh chervil.
How it was made : In the 18th century, these "restorative" broths were sold in Paris at specialized establishments — the word "restaurant" first referred to the broth itself before naming the place. They were believed capable of restoring weakened constitutions. Clarification (patient skimming, simmering) was the mark of skill.
The contemporary twist : Served in a small cup as an aperitif, like a consommé "shot", with a dash of emerald herb oil poured before the guest.
Sources : Rebecca Spang, The Invention of the Restaurant: Paris and Modern Gastronomic Culture (2000) · Menon, La Cuisinière bourgeoise (1746)
Voltaire · Charactorium