Clear Beetroot Bouillon

A terrific starter for a formal meal, or just for lunch; it will also make a great Valentine dish (you might want to cut the omelette into heart shapes in that case). The trick with the egg whites ensures that the bouillon is totally clear -- the protein in the whites, when clotting, encapsulates all impurities. The lemon juice is mainly necessary to keep the colouring nicely red: like litmus, the pigment in beetroot turns blue when exposed to a high pH. The quality of your stock largely determines the quality of the end result. Everything up to and including step three can be done a day in advance.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 liters  vegetable stock
• 2  small beetroots
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3  small eggs
•  salt
•  pepper
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons turmeric
• 25  g butter
• 100  ml red wine
•  chives

Directions

1. Clean beetroots and cut into small pieces. Rinse a clean dishcloth until all traces of detergent have been removed; line a strainer with the towel and put on top of a large pot. Bring the stock to a boil in a pot. Add beetroot and lemon juice. Cook circa 20 mins on low heat (the stock should not be boiling again after having added the lemon juice).
2. Split two eggs. Stir whites until homogeneous. Add to stock while whisking vigorously; reheat until boiling, all the while whisking until the surface is covered in foam. Keep boiling until foam has mostly disappeared (circa 3 mins). Strain through the dishcloth into a big pot. Cool and keep refrigerated until used.
3. Whisk yolks and third egg with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Heat butter in small pan and bake a small, thick omelette. Allow to cool. Cut into diamonds. Keep refrigerated until used.
4. Reheat bouillon with wine -- take care not to bring to a boil. Add pepper and salt to taste. Serve in soup plates, garnished with omelette diamonds and chopped chives.