Dainty presentation and a host of exquisitely prepared accompaniments, from confit egg yolk to glazed mushrooms, set this dish apart from the competition. Follow this gourmet chicken soup recipe to produce a wonderful dinner.
To confit the egg yolks, place the whole eggs into the water bath and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. After this time, turn the bath down to 50°C to hold the temperature. Alternatively, poach the eggs to your liking before serving
For the soup, heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken legs and cook until dark and golden all over. Add the celery, onion and leek and sweat for approximately 3-5 minutes until soft and translucent
Add the thyme, parsley and bay, pour over the chicken stock and cook on a gentle boil until the stock is reduced by half. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan and mix in the flour to form a smooth paste
Once the stock has reduced, add the butter and flour paste, stir through and gently simmer for 30 minutes. After this time, remove from the heat and pass through a fine chinois
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While the soup is still warm, add the crème fraîche and sherry and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to serve
For the croutons, slice the brioche into 1cm thick slices and cut each slice into 1cm cubes. Place on a tray and toast under the grill until golden brown
To serve, heat 4 portions of the soup in a small saucepan, then transfer to serving jugs. Add a splash of olive oil to a small frying pan and sauté the mushrooms until golden brown. Add the butter, then add a splash of water and stir to create an emulsion
Remove the eggs from the water bath and very carefully separate the yolks from the whites. Place a yolk into the bottom of each serving bowl, alongside the glazed mushrooms and toasted croutons. Serve immediately with the jugs of hot soup on the side
One of England’s up-and-coming, ultra-talented chefs with Michelin pedigree, Shay Cooper started cooking as a commis chef in 1997, before he was even out of school.
