UNDERSTANDING SOUPS

The popularity of soups today may be due to increased nutrition consciousness, to a desire for simpler or lighter meals, or to an increased appreciation of how appetizing and satisfying soups can be. Whatever the reasons, they emphasize the importance of soup-making skills.

• Soup, according to the dictionary, is a liquid food derived from meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables. This definition is all right as far as it goes, but there's a lot it doesn't tell us. Is a stock, straight from the stockpot, a soup? Is beef stew liquid enough to be called soup?
• We're interested more in production techniques than in definitions. However, a few more definitions are necessary before we can go into the kitchen, so we can talk to each other in the same language. Definitions aren't rules, so don't be alarmed if you hear other books or chefs use these terms differently. What matters is that you learn the techniques and are able to adapt them to many uses.

 

CLASSIFICATIONS OF SOUPS

• Soups can be divided into three basic categories: clear or unthickened soups, thick soups, and special soups that don't fit the first two categories. Most of these soups, no matter what their final ingredients may be, are based on stock

CLEAR SOUPS

• Clear soups are all based on a clear, unthickened broth or stock. They may be served plain or garnished with a variety of vegetables and meats.
• 1. Broth and bouillon are two terms used in many ways. In general,they both refer to simple, clear soups without solid ingredients. We have already know that broth  is a flavorful liquid obtained from the simmering of meats and/or vegetables.
• 2. Vegetable soup is a clear, seasoned stock or broth with the addition of one or more vegetables and, sometimes, meat or poultry products and starches.
• 3. Consommé is a rich, flavorful stock or broth that has been clarified to make it perfectly clear and transparent.
• Far from being just a plain old cup of broth,a well-made consommé is one of the greatest of all soups. Its sparkling clarity is a delight to the eye, and its rich, full flavor, strength,and body make it a perfect starter for an elegant dinner.

 

THICK SOUPS

• Unlike clear soups, thick soups are opaque rather than transparent. They are thickened either by adding a thickening agent, such as a roux, or by puréeing one or more of their ingredients to provide a heavier consistency.
• 1. Cream soups are soups that are thickened with roux, beurre manié, liaison, or other added thickening agents, plus milk and/or cream. They are similar to velouté and béchamel sauces-in fact, they may be made by diluting and flavoring either of these two leading sauces. Cream soups are usually named after their major ingredient, such as cream of chicken or cream of asparagus.
• 2. Purées are soups that are naturally thickened by puréeing one or more of their ingredients. They are not as smooth and creamy as cream soups. dried legumes (such as split pea soup) or from fresh vegetables with a starchy ingredient such as potatoes or rice added. Purées may or may not contain milk or cream.
• 3. Bisques are thickened soups made from shellfish. They are usually prepared like cream soups and are almost always finished with cream. The term bisque is sometimes used on menus for a variety of vegetable soups. In these cases, it is really a marketing term rather than a technical term, so it is impossible to give a definition that covers all uses.
• 4. Chowders are hearty soups made from fish, shellfish, and/or vegetables. Although they are made in many ways, they usually contain milk and potatoes.
• 5. Potage is a term sometimes associated with certain thick,hearty soups,but it is actually a general term for soup. A clear soup is called a potage clair in French.

 

SPECIALTY AND NATIONAL SOUPS

• This is a catch-all category that includes soups that don't fit well into the main categories and soups that are native to particular countries or regions.
• Specialty soups are distinguished by unusual ingredients or methods, such as turtle soup, gumbo, peanut soup, and cold fruit soup. Cold soups are sometimes considered specialty soups, and, in fact, some of them are. But many other popular cold soups, such as jellied consommé, cold cream of cucumber soup, and vichyssoise (vee shee swahz) are simply cold versions of basic clear and thick soups

VEGETARIAN SOUPS AND LOW-FAT SOUPS

• A great variety of vegetable-based soups are suitable for vegetarian menus. Vegetable soups for vegans must contain no meat or any other animal product and must be made with water or vegetable stock. To bind thick soups, use a starch slurry or a roux made with oil rather than butter. Lacto-vegetarians,on the other hand,accept soups containing butter, milk,or cream.

• Because the appeal of vegetarian vegetable soups depends entirely on the freshness and the quality of the vegetables and not on the richness of meat stocks, be especially careful to use high-quality ingredients and to avoid overcooking.
• Clear soups are especially suitable for people seeking low-fat foods. Consommés and clear vegetable soups are virtually fat-free, especially if the vegetables were not sweated in fat before being simmered.
• Thick soups can be kept low in fat by thickening them with a slurry of starch (such as arrowroot, potato starch, or cornstarch) and cold water rather than with a roux. For cream soups, reduce or omit the cream and instead use evaporated skim milk.
• Purée soups are usually more adaptable than cream soups to low-fat diets because the vegetable purée adds body and richness to the soup without requiring added fat. A little yogurt or evaporated skim milk can be used to give creaminess to a purée soup. Even garnishing a serving of soup with a teaspoonful of whipped cream gives a feeling of richness while adding only a gram or two of fat.