White Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic soup of almonds and veal (or chicken) cooked in white stock and finished with cream and hard-boiled egg yolks. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: White Soup.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
164. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of sweet almonds, 1/4 lb. of cold veal or poultry, a thick slice of stale bread, a piece of fresh lemon-peel, 1 blade of mace, pounded, 3/4 pint of cream, the yolks of 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 quarts of white stock, No. 107.
Mode.—Reduce the almonds in a mortar to a paste, with a spoonful of water, and add to them the meat, which should be previously pounded with the bread. Beat all together, and add the lemon-peel, very finely chopped, and the mace. Pour the boiling stock on the whole, and simmer for an hour. Rub the eggs in the cream, put in the soup, bring it to a boil, and serve immediately.
Time.—1-1/2 hour. Average cost, 1s. 6d. per quart.
Seasonable all the year.
Sufficient for 8 persons.
Note.—A more economical white soup may be made by using common veal stock, and thickening with rice, flour, and milk. Vermicelli should be served with it.
Average cost, 5d. per quart.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
115g blanched almonds
115g cold veal or chicken
1 thick slice of stale bread
1 piece of freshly-pared lemon zest, finely shredded
1 blade of mace, pounded
450ml cream
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
2l white stock, boiling
Method:
Combine the almonds with 1 tbsp water in a mortar and pound to a paste then transfer to a bowl. In the meantime pound together the meat and the bread in a large mortar until you have a smooth paste. Mix together then add the lemon zest and mace. Mix well then transfer to a stockpot and add the white stock. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 60 minutes.
In the meantime, rub the eggs through a fine-meshed sieve and whisk into the cream. Stir this mixture into the soup (as soon as it has cooked) then bring to a boil.
