Salmon Consommé with Créme Fraîche and Salmon Caviar Recipe

Salmon Consommé with Créme Fraîche and Salmon Caviar Recipe

  • 5 to 5 1/2 lb of salmon carcasses (heads, bones, and tails)
  • 4 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
  • 6 fresh parsley stems (without leaves)
  • 1 fresh thyme sprig
  • 5 coriander seeds
  • 1 bay leaf (not California)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine
  • 3 1/2 qt cold water
  • 5 large egg whites, shells reserved
  • 1/2 cup créme fraîche
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 oz salmon caviar (roe) or other caviar
  • Garnish: fresh dill sprigs
  • Accompaniment: Black Pepper Cornmeal Crisps
  • Special equipment: cheesecloth
  1. Rinse salmon carcasses under cold water. Remove any blood spots and discard any gills (they look like the underside of a mushroom cap). Transfer salmon to a 10- to 12-quart pot.
  2. Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water and lift from water to a colander to drain. Add leeks and remaining consomm
 ingredients except egg whites and eggshells to pot with salmon. Bring to a boil, covered, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, skimming any foam, 40 minutes.
  3. Pour stock through a sieve lined with a triple thickness of cheesecloth into a 6-quart saucepan. Boil until reduced to about 9 cups, 15 to 20 minutes, and skim any fat from surface.
  4. Whisk egg whites in a large bowl until foamy. Crumble reserved shells into whites and slowly whisk in half of hot stock. Gradually whisk egg white mixture into stock in saucepan and bring to a steady boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Boil, undisturbed, until all of whites rise to top and stock is clear, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 3 minutes.
  5. Pour stock through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl. Then pour stock through a paper towel–lined sieve into a 3-quart saucepan. (You’ll have about 8 cups.) Reheat and season with salt.
  6. Whisk together créme fraîche and water in a small bowl set over a larger bowl of hot water until it reaches room temperature, then continue whisking until smooth and forms soft mounds.
  7. Serve consommé with dollops of créme fraîche and salmon caviar.
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