Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

Consommé is the apex of refinement: A strong, full-flavored stock is clarified using a little kitchen alchemy to produce a delicious, crystal-clear broth. It’s one of those French classics that you learn to make in culinary school and then often never think about again. But you should think about it, because it&#39;s fantastic as a sipping broth or elegant soup base. This recipe uses the classic technique of creating an egg white “raft.” Egg whites blended with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and lean protein (in this case, chicken breast) are stirred into good stock, then the mixture is slowly heated. The proteins in the egg whites and chicken breast bond to form a raft that slowly floats to the surface of the pot, grabbing and holding onto any particulate matter and fat in the stock.

Classic Chicken Consommé