Soups Goal 11.05. Appetizer or main course Lunch (light) or dinner (hearty) Cleanse and recondition the palate (neutral flavor) Canned or dried Begin.

Soups

Goal 11.05

• Appetizer or main course• Lunch (light) or dinner (hearty)• Cleanse and recondition the palate (neutral

flavor)• Canned or dried• Begin with a stock

Types of Soups

1. Clear Soups

• Made from clear stock or broth (simmered meat and vegetables/ more flavorful that stock/bouillon)

• Not thickened1. Consomme- concentrated, clear soup made from

stock or broth/strong flavor/been clarified2. Vegetable soup- stock or broth/can be meat

based/vegetables+pasta+grains (pasta or barley)

Clear Soup Preparation

1. Simmer and brown the meats and sweat (cooking vegetables in fat over low heat/allows vegetables to release moisture and flavor) vegetables. DO NOT BROWN.

2. Add simmering stock to the vegetables.3. Continue to simmer soup on a medium heat.4. Skim off the impurities and fats as they rise to

the surface5. Season the soup to taste before serving.

Consomme Preparation

1. Combine ground poultry or beef, lightly beaten egg white, and other ingredients.

2. Add cold broth and stir. If the broth has a weak flavor, heat it in a separate pan and reduce it until it is concentrated. Chill it, then add it to the other ingredients.

3. Stir the mixture occasionally as you bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

4. The egg white and meat proteins coagulate as they cook, forming a raft. (floating mass that traps the impurities that rise to the top of the broth. DO NOT STIR or COVER the mixture after this point.

5. Lower the heat and simmer slowly for 1 to 1 ½ hours to extract the flavor and clarify.

6. Use several layers of cheesecloth or coffee filters and a china cap to strain the consomme.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.8. Cool, label, date, and refrigerate if the

consomme will not be used immediately.9. Remove any fat from the surface when the

consomme is completely cooled.10.When you reheat the consomme, remove

any dots of remaining fat on the surface by blotting the surface with a paper towel.

2. Thick Soups

• Not clear or transparent• Uses a roux, cream, or vegetable puree as

thickeners• Milk is used to thin the soup• Made with leafy or soft vegetables (broccoli,

asparagus, spinach)• Made with hard vegetables (squash, red

peppers)

2 Types of Thick Soups

1. Puree soups- thickened by grinding the soup’s main ingredient (base) in the food processor or blender/filling, hearty/uses milk or cream/main course/ex: split pea, navy bean, butternut squash/coarser texture from starchy vegetables or legumes/good meal with bread

2. Cream soup- velvety smooth, thick cream soup/made with rich chicken broth/sometimes uses pureed vegetables are folded into the soup

Pureed Soup Preparation

1. Cut up fresh vegetables and sweat them in fat over low heat.

2. Simmer the stock and add it the vegetables.3. Add starchy or dried vegetables.4. Simmer the soup until all vegetables are

cooked. DO NOT OVERCOOK!5. Puree the soup using a food processor or

blender.

6. Simmer again, and check that the soup has reached desired thickness.

7. If the soup is too watery or too thick, add a thickening agent or more liquid to adjust thickness.

8. Add final seasonings and serve.

Creamed Soup Preparation

1. Sweat hard vegetables (carrots, celery) in butter or oil slowly over low heat.

2. Once the vegetables are sweated, thicken the soup by adding flour to make a roux.

3. Add hot stock or milk to the roux and vegetables.

4. Simmer, do not boil or let brown.

5. Add a bouquet garni along with any necessary soft vegetables. Cook the vegetables until they are just soft.

6. Skim impurities and fat from the soup as it simmers.

7. Puree the soup until it is very smooth.8. Add hot Bechamel sauce or cream to finish the

soup.9. Taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning as

needed.

3. Specialty Soups

• Highlights the cuisine of specific region or reflects the use of special ingredients or techniques

• Because some specialty soups contain milk they should be made in small batches and not left too long on a serving line. They will curdle or spoil.

1. Bisque

• made with shellfish and contains cream• Concentrated stock of shellfish+roux+cream• Shells are used to add flavor and removed

before it is strained

2. Chowder

• Made from fish, seafood, or vegetables• Hearty, chunky• Based on vegetables, shellfish, fish• Thickened with a roux• Potatoes, cream, milk

3. Cold Soups

• May or may not be cooked and then chilled• Uses yogurt, cream, or pureed fruit as a

thickener• Adding dairy reduces their shelf life

Cooked Cold Soups

• Cream is added to cooked cold soups after they are cooled and chilled and right before they are served.

• Cold dulls the flavor of soup• Consistency of cold soup should be thinner

than hot cream soup

Uncooked Cold Soup

• Fresh fruits or vegetables are used as a thickner

• Cream or yogurt is added• Serve as cold as possible in cold bowls

4. International Soups

• Linked to different cultures• Ingredients that are associated with the

culture’s cuisine.• Gazpacho- Spanish soup• Can be hearty enough to be a meal• Minestrone- Italian soup served as an

appetizer

Soup Equipment

• Saucepan• Stock pan• China cap• Cheese cloth• Slotted spoon• Blender/food processor• range

Serving Soup

• Hot soup- 165 F or above• Cold soups- 41 F or below• Warm bowl-warm soup• Cold bowl-cold soup• Portion- appetizer-6-8 oz

Entrée- 10-12 oz

Soup Garnish

• Presentation should be enhanced with a garnish (flavor/texture)

• Toppings add contrast to soups that are one color

• Applied just before the soup is served• Attractively arranged• Cut vegetables and meats the same size and

shape (cook separate so you don’t cloud the soup/do not overcook)

Soup Storage

• Heat only small batches of soup at a time• Check the consistency of soup before serving

(heat causes it thicken)• Taste the soup to see if seasoning needs

adjusting• Cool completely before storing