consommé

American  

[kon-suh-mey, kon-suh-mey] / ˌkɒn səˈmeɪ, ˈkɒn səˌmeɪ /

noun

1. a clear soup made by boiling meat or chicken, bones, vegetables, etc., to extract their nutritive properties: served hot or jellied.

   Synonyms:

   broth

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consommé British  

/ ˈkɒnsɒˌmeɪ, kənˈsɒmeɪ, kɔ̃sɔme /

noun

1. a clear soup made from meat or chicken stock

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Etymology

Origin of consommé

1805–15; < French, noun use of consommé, past participle of consommer to finish < Latin consummāre to add up, finish; see consummate

Explanation

Consomme is a light, clear broth. Usually, consomme is made with concentrated beef or chicken stock and served hot. Traditional consomme is made by clarifying a rich stock, a process that involves using egg whites to concentrate any solids in the soup, so they can be strained or removed. Very good consomme should be completely clear, with no solids or particles. This kind of soup has been eaten since the Middle Ages, and the word comsomme is the past participle of the French consommer, "to consume."

Example Sentences

I'm fascinated by the tikka masala consommé in the kanpachi crudo!

From Salon • Aug. 17, 2024

There’s also a grilled cheese birria sandwich that’s available seasonally and comes with a side of consommé.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2023

Different from a crystal-clear French-style consommé, the beef stew consomé here is a rich broth bobbing with onion and bits of beef, a deep mahogany in color.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 31, 2022

He used to spend his days clarifying beef consommé and grilling the perfect medium-rare steak.

From New York Times • Mar. 30, 2022

A week later we passed the broth shack, and there was a sixty-year-old woman working there, hard as nails, dishing out consommé.

From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• bouillon
• chowder
• porridge
• puree