Meat Consommé

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef, gelatinous cut
• 0.5 veal knuckle or shank
• 1 piece pork head
• 1 small onion
• 1 small tomato
• 1 pinch spice (allspice or mixed spice)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 leaf bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons pork lard (manteca de cerdo)
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons fine semolina
• 2 tablespoons butter or lard
• 0.25 teaspoon nutmeg (nuez moscada)
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Combine the beef, veal knuckle, and pork head in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 hours.
2. Add the onion, tomato, spice, salt, and bay leaf. Continue simmering for 3 more hours.
3. In a heavy skillet, heat the pork lard and fry the chicken breast until golden. Remove and finely mince it. Season the minced chicken with salt and nutmeg.
4. Make a béchamel (bechamelle) using fine semolina instead of flour in the usual manner. Fold in the seasoned minced chicken. Stir constantly over heat until the mixture is thick. Remove from the fire and let cool slightly, then fold in the egg yolks.
5. Once cooled, form the mixture into small pieces about 3 centimeters long, resembling short pasta. Coat each piece in beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs.
6. Fry the coated pieces in hot lard until golden.
7. Strain the consommé through a fine sieve and skim off all fat. Pour the hot consommé over the fried pasta pieces in a soup tureen and serve immediately.
8. Note: The meat from the broth can be used to make croquettes (croquetas).