Tourain

The classic soup of Perigord is called Tourain, a word which is not found in most dictionaries including the French Petit Larousse, but which can be translated as broth. Its full name is Tourain Blanchi a l’Ail, or garlic-whitened broth. It is tasty and very filling, particularly when you add vermicelli or lumps of stale bread as the French like to do.

For the locals, it is ESSENTIAL to leave a small amount of broth at the bottom of your plate and then add a slug of red wine, stir it around and then drink the wine-tourain mixture straght from the soup bowl. This is known as ‘faire chabrol’ and proves you are a real Perigordin. It also tastes pretty god.

Tourain for 4

• 1 medium onion, sliced and chopped.
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, (2 if you are a wimp)
  
• 2 soup spoons of duck fat
  
• 2 soup spoons of flour
  
• 1 litre of chicken stock
  
• 1 egg
  

Gently fry the onion and garlic until they are softened, then sieve in the flour little by little, stirring constantly until well mixed, then add the chicken stock slowly, and let it all simmer for 20 minutes. Take the egg, separating the white from the yoke, and vigorously stir the white into the soup with a fork. Take the soup off the flame. Then mix a small dribble (not much more than a teaspoon) of vinegar into the egg yoke as you beat it, and stir that into the broth.

This is the classic tourain, but it makes a splendid base for more ambitious soups, so you can top it off with cheese (a good French Cantal or a Gruyere or even Parmesan are all good). Or you can add carrots and other vegetables, or even leftovers.