Modern French White Soup

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Chicken (About half of a whole chicken, or equivalent pieces)
• 0.5 pound Veal knuckle (Or veal bones)
• 3 quarts Cold water
• 1 medium Onion (Sliced)
• 3 medium Carrot (Sliced)
• 0.5 leaf Bay leaf
• 1 sprig Parsley
• 0.5 teaspoon Thyme
• 0.5 teaspoon Peppercorns
• 0.5 tablespoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Lean raw ham (Finely chopped)
• 4 tablespoons Butter
• 3 tablespoons All-purpose flour
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 2 Egg yolks
• 0.5 cup Cooked green peas

Instructions

1. 1Wipe the chicken clean and disjoint it. Wipe the veal, remove it from the bone, and cut it into small pieces.
2. 2Put the chicken, veal, veal bone, and water in a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat slowly to boiling-point, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Cook slowly for four hours.
3. 3Cook the onion, carrot, and ham in one tablespoon of butter in a separate pan over medium heat for five minutes, until softened.
4. 4Add the sautéed vegetables and ham to the soup along with the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and salt. Cook for one hour.
5. 5Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve. Cool the strained stock, then refrigerate until the fat solidifies on top. Remove the fat.
6. 6Reheat three cups of the stock in a saucepan. In a separate small pan, melt the remaining three tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to make a roux. Gradually whisk the roux into the hot stock until smooth. Simmer gently for 5 minutes to thicken.
7. 7Just before serving, whisk together the cream and egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly drizzle the cream and egg mixture into the hot soup, stirring constantly, until the soup is heated through but not boiling. Do not boil, or the eggs will curdle.
8. 8Garnish with cooked green peas and serve immediately. Chicken Custard cut in dice can also be used as garnish.