Hearty Spring Soup with Egg Roulade
·Chicken stock
Into a large pot, put a whole hen cut into pieces (if using chicken, just use chicken parts – usually backs, hearts, liver, carcasses).
Vegetables for the stock
For one hen I use carrot, parsley root, a piece of celery stalk, a large onion, and a bit of greens – parsley or lovage. I never peel the vegetables, just scrub them under water with a rough scouring pad. I cut the onion in half, skin and all.
Spices
Add all of this to the hen in the pot. Add allspice berries (about 5), black peppercorns (about 10), 2 bay leaves, 3 juniper berries and salt.
Tip:
If I have some spring onion at home that's past its best, or celeriac instead of celery stalk, I throw that in too. Sometimes even extra carrot, but watch out – too much can make the stock too sweet. You'll need to fine-tune this to your own taste as well.
The meat falls apart once cooked
Cover with a lid and simmer. For a long time. Many hours. Hen needs longer than chicken, and chicken needs less time than beef. Once the meat starts falling off the bone, the stock will taste wonderful – and you'll be starving.
Egg roulade
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a larger bowl, whisk the whites lightly with a whisk. Season lightly with salt. Whip the egg whites into a foam – it doesn't need to be as stiff as classic beaten egg whites.
Yolks and seasoning
Carefully fold in the yolks and a pinch of pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of flour, one at a time, stirring into the mixture. Finally, mix in finely chopped herbs.
Fry and roll up
In a non-stick pan with a dash of oil or butter, gently fry two thin pancakes. Don't fry them too long, so the surface doesn't get too firm. While still warm, roll them up into a roulade. Let it cool slightly, then slice the roll into rounds.
Buttered spring vegetables
Clean the vegetables and cut into small pieces. Cut the carrot and parsley root into thin strips. Put them into a saucepan with butter and sauté for about five to ten minutes. Just briefly. The vegetables should soften slightly but still stay crisp.
Serving
On a plate, arrange the picked, chopped meat. Add finely chopped spring onion, a mix of herbs (parsley, chives, or coriander if you like), the egg roulade slices and the buttered vegetables. Pour hot stock over everything.
