RECIPE 13: Garlic Veloute With Croutons And Prosciutto

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             Garlic Veloute with Croutons and Prosciutto

From CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN COOKING FOR PROFESSIONALS, by Bruno Ellmer, page 104.

Recipe By:
Serving Size: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Easy, Soup

-= Ingredients =-
1 ounce Butter
8 ounces Leeks ; White Part Only Chopped
12 ounces Onions ; Sliced
4 ounces Celeriac ; Small Dice
10 ea cloves Garlic ; Minced
1 quart Chicken Broth
pinch Salt And Cayenne Pepper
pinch Nutmeg
1 cup Cream ; Hot
LIAISON
2 ea Egg Yolks
1/4 cup Cream
GARNISH
3/4 cup Italian Bread ; Stale Crusts Removed Small Dice
1 ounce Butter
1/2 cup Prosciutto ; Fine Julienne

-= Instructions =-
1. Heat the butter in a 4-quart noncorrosive pot. Cook the leek whites, onions, and celeriac over low heat. Add the garlic and continue to cook a few more minutes. Do not brown the onions.

2. Add the chicken broth and simmer slowly for another 30 minutes. Add the salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. (Can be made ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate. Slowly reheat until thoroughly warm before continuing.)

3. Puree with an immersion blender (or in a blender) until very smooth. For an extremely velvety texture, strain through a china cap. Reheat and add the hot cream. Adjust the seasonings.

4. Saute the small-diced Italian bread in butter until crisp.

5. Combine the egg yolks and cream in a 2-quart mixing bowl. Add slowly to the cream soup while whisking to achieve a proper emulsion. Add more broth if needed. The veloute should be velvety in texture.

6. Serve the soup topped with the croutons and fine julienne of prosciutto.

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