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Black Truffle Soup Élysée

Here is Paul Bocuse’s kosher rendition of his famous soup with black truffles and foie gras. He first created it for a dinner in 1975 at the Élysée Palace (the White House of France) when he received the Légion d’Honneur from President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing for valor on the battlefield during World War II. I have omitted the fresh foie gras, because obtaining it both fresh and kosher is difficult. This soup is refreshingly delicious, one you can prepare ahead that will still make a grand splash at any dinner. Either make one big soup or use eight 8-ounce ramekins, as the recipe indicates.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    8 servings

Ingredients

8 cups chicken, veal, or beef broth, or any combination thereof
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup button mushrooms, finely diced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup white vermouth
7 ounces black truffles, finely chopped
8 disks pareve puff pastry, cut slightly larger than the ramekins
4 egg yolks, beaten

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour the stock into a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, onion, celery, mushrooms, chicken, and salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat until the stock is barely simmering, and cook until the chicken is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. You will have to test with a fork to see if it is done. Remove the chicken from the stock, and set aside.

    Step 2

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then divide the white vermouth, the truffles, the broth, and the vegetables among eight small ovenproof bowls. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into 1/2-inch chunks, and divide it among the eight bowls.

    Step 3

    Place the puff-pastry rounds on top of the soup-filled bowls, pressing down the edges to form a seal around each bowl.

    Step 4

    Brush the puff pastry with the egg yolks, and place in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Remove from the oven, and serve immediately.

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