Soups, Stocks and Sauces

Soups, Stocks and Sauces

The Bones of Cooking

Liquids

• Flavorful liquid– Water, seasoned with herbs and spices– Fruit juices– Tomato juices

Broth vs. Stock

• Broth is simmered in a flavored liquid for a long time

• Made with meat, poultry, fish or vegetables

• Broths can be served as a finished product

• Stock is simmered in a flavored liquid for a long time

• Stock uses the bones, meat and flesh, shells and peels

• Stocks are used to create other dishes and are not eaten alone

Safety and Sanitation

• When using homemade stock in a recipe– Bring to boil– Kills microorganisms such as salmonella– Throw away cold stock that has foam or bubbles

on the surface

Shortcuts• Positives– Quick– inexpensive

• Negatives– Main ingredient is salt

Canned Broth

Soup Base

Bouillon Cubes or Granules

Mirepoix

French Cuisine• Onions—50%• Carrots—25%• Celery—25&

Stocks

• For a brown stock, add onion skins• Depending upon time stock will cook, change

size or mirepoix– Quick cooking time = small dice

Seasonings

• Bouquet Garni– Pepper, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, and garlic– Added to stock at the beginning– Whole herbs are taken out at the end– Salt is not added to a stock because the end

product is uncertain

Principles of Stock Making

• Start with cold water• Simmer gently• Skim frequently• Strain• Cool• Store

Thickening Methods

• Reduction– Simmering until some liquid evaporates– Concentrates flavors– Broths and Bouillons will not reduce because they

lack collagen from bones.

Thickening Methods

• Roux-equal parts of fat and flour cooked to form a paste– White Roux—cooked briefly until bubbly, used in

white sauces– Blonde Roux—cooked slightly longer until it takes

on a carmelized look. Has an ivory color– Brown Roux—Cooked until darker color and nutty

aroma develops. Used in brown sauces.

Facts about Roux

• Must be cooked to develop starches• The longer a roux cooks, the less thickening

power it has.• A brown roux requires twice as much in order

to thicken a product.• Must be cooked for 20 minutes to become

fully incorporated

Cornstarch

• Very popular, inexpensive thickening agent.• Provides a glossy finish to sauce• Breaks down and can not be reheated

Using Cornstarch

• Must be mixed with a cold liquid before added to hot stock=Slurry– Allows grains to separate and begin thickening

without clumping– Thickens immediately, but must be cooked to

eliminate raw flavor

Legumes and Vegetables

• Mashed starchy legumes and vegetables thicken the same as grains– Potatoes– Beans– Peas

Soup

• Clear Soup– Consumme• Broth is clarified to make it clear

– Cream Soup• Thickened with starch, pureed and cream is added• Pureed soup (potato) is blended

Special Preparation Soups

• Chowder– Neither thick, nor clear—chunky by nature

• Bisque—must have shellfish, thickened with cream

Special Preparation Soups

• Fruit Soups– Uses fruit juice as a base and uses yogurt as a

thickening agent. Tapioca may also be used as a thickening agent

• Cold Soups– Served as appetizers– refreshing

Steps for Making Stew

• Meat is cut into small pieces• Dredge meat in flour and brown in fat• Vegetables and herbs are sauteed in

remaining fat• Meat and liquid are returned to pot• Simmer until meat is tender, usually 2-3 hours

Stews

• Prepared by simmering small pieces of meat in a tightly covered pan.– Include vegetables, meat, poultry or fish– Contain less water than soup

Sauces

• Purpose is to enhance flavor of the food—not cover it up!

• The sauce is everything! It should be considered before the meal begins.

The Mother Sauces

Veloute Espagnole

Tomato Hollandaise

Bechamel

The Small Sauce—info only---

Bechamel

• Cream Sauce• Cheese

Sauce

Veloute

• Cardinal-lobster

• Normandy-mushrooms, egg yolks and cream

Espagnole

• Hunter’s Sauce

• Bordelaise

The Small Sauce—info only--

Tomato

• creole• spanish

Hollandaise

• Bearnaise• Chantilly

Oil and Vinegar

• Vinaigrette• Marinades