Homemade Goodness in a Bowl for the Soul

Bring chicken backs and wings and beef shins and shanks to just below a boil.

Take it off the heat, dump the the water, rinse the bones and the pot. Start all over again with cleaned bones and cold water. Bring the pot close to a boil and hover over it to skim every last bit of scum. Reduce fire to below a simmer. Add celery, carrots, onions, turnips, parsley, sage, thyme and a generous handful of whole white peppercorns. Cover and be sure it is cooking slowly—just tiny bubbles. After 15 to 20 hours on the burner, drain and discard the solids. Cool and refrigerate. Then skim the fat. For a crystal clear consomeé, make a raft by combining finely chopped mirepoix, one sprig each of parsley, sage, thyme, minced mirepoix, another handful of white peppercorns a couple of whole eggs including the shells (chopped) with a good amount of beef and chicken mince. Stir the slop together and do the unthinkable, drop it into the simmering pot of gorgeous stock. Sit back and watch being careful to keep the pot at a simmer as the proteins clarify the soup. When the magic is done, gently scoop the raft out of the stock and discard. Salt to taste, let the stock cool then pour through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth. Voilà, you have the most crystal clear consommé.