Bridal Soup (Soup Elegant)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Veal shoulder, cut into small pieces with bones (Modernized from 2 large shoulders; 2 pounds provides sufficient flavor for 6-8 servings)
• 1 teaspoon White pepper (Plus more to taste)
• 2 teaspoons Fine sea salt (Plus more to taste)
• 2 stalks Celery stalks, white parts only (Use only the pale inner stalks)
• 2 large Egg whites (For clarifying the broth)
• 8 ounces Calf's head meat, transparent parts (Can substitute veal cheek or additional tongue if calf's head unavailable)
• 1 whole Calf's tongue (About 8-12 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons Small fancy pasta shapes (ditalini or stars) (Optional, for garnish)
• 3 tablespoons Pale dry sherry (Use fino or manzanilla sherry)
• 10 cups Cold water (For cooking veal)

Instructions

1. 1Cut veal shoulder into small pieces with bones. Wash thoroughly under cold running water. Place in a large pot with 10 cups cold water, white pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. 2As the stock comes to a boil, carefully skim off all foam and scum that rises to the surface using a ladle or skimmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until meat falls off the bones, about 3 hours. Continue skimming occasionally.
3. 3In a separate pot, place calf's tongue and head meat with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Skim off all scum that rises. Simmer until tender but not falling apart, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Remove from heat when tender.
4. 4Strain the veal stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container, discarding solids. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled and fat solidifies on top, at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. 5Remove tongue and head meat from cooking liquid and place on a clean dish. If tongue has skin, peel it off while still warm. Let cool slightly. Slice tongue thinly. Using small cookie cutters or a sharp knife, cut decorative shapes from the tongue and best parts of head meat: diamonds, circles, hearts, stars, or squares. Ensure all pieces are clean with no scum attached; rinse in a little clear stock if needed.
6. 6Remove chilled stock from refrigerator. Carefully lift off and discard all solidified fat from the surface using a spoon or spatula. The stock should be completely clear of fat.
7. 7Pour degreased stock into a clean pot. Add chopped celery stalks (white parts only). Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and white pepper if needed. Bring to a gentle simmer.
8. 8In a bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. While stock is simmering gently, slowly pour beaten egg whites into the stock while stirring gently. The egg whites will coagulate and trap impurities. Stop stirring and let simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes as the egg white raft forms.
9. 9Line a fine-mesh strainer with several layers of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Carefully ladle the stock through the strainer, avoiding disturbing the egg white raft. The stock should now be crystal clear. Set aside and keep warm.
10. 10If using pasta, cook the small pasta shapes in boiling salted water according to package directions until tender. Drain thoroughly and rinse to remove any starch or powder. Set aside.
11. 11Arrange the decorative tongue and meat shapes artfully in a warmed soup tureen or individual soup bowls. Add cooked pasta if using. Heat the clarified stock to just below boiling. Add the sherry to the hot stock and stir. Immediately pour the boiling-hot soup over the garnishes in the tureen. Serve at once.