Never has so little been able to make so much for so many.
That sounds like a Winston Churchill quote but this aptly describes the pastry batter called pate a choux.
Milk, water, eggs, butter, flour and salt... From that there are a host of savories and desserts such as Paris brest, eclairs, gougieres, profiteroles, potatoes dauphine and the crowning glory, Croquembuche.
I recently did a charity event for People's Self Help Housing in Santa Barbara. I prepared a porcini mushroom soup with a garnish of micro choux puffs. It's rather fussy work to make the tiny puffs. They serve as a crunchy sort of crouton on top of the soup.
The great chef Escoffier called them, Profiteroles pour Potages. They replace and older garnish of dried bread. There are some interesting option that would work well for soups.
Cream of Cauliflower with Parmesan Profiteroles
Consomme of Duck with Wild Rice Profiteroles
Cream of Watercress, Chive Profiteroles
Chilled Beet Soup, Goat Cheese Profiteroles
Lobster Bisque, Garlic-Saffron Profiteroles
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
