Soups

Soups (soupe, potage, fr.)“A liquid savory

food served at the beginning of a meal or as a light meal in

itself.”-Larousse

Fall 20111 CHRM 1120/O'Donnell

Soup Soupe - basic dish where a potage (the

contents a cooking pot) was poured over piece of bread or sop…as in to “sop” up the broth.

Soup and Potage are usually synonymous with a potage sometimes meaning a thick soup

Two Basic Categories: Clear Soups (les potage clairs)

Stock-Based Broth-Based

Bound or Thick Soups (les potage liès)


Soups, Classifications


Stock or Broth Based Served as Finished

Items (usu. Broth Based)

As a base for Other Soups (Stock or Broth)

Refined and Clarified (Stock or Broth) Consommé

Clear Soups (les potage clairs)


Clear Soups (Stock-Based vs. Broth Based)

Stock-Based Broth-Based

Start with a sautéed mirepoix to form the main flavor base.

Stock is added to bring these ingredients together.

Quick to make (If stock is already made)

Start with a highly-flavorful liquid, broth.

The broth may be served or alone or with Garniture

Garniture often added at the END of cooking.

More time consuming


Consommés, Terms Raft, clearmeat that has solidified to form a

floating mass that acts as a filter to clarify broth

Clarification or Clearmeat Lean ground meat, poultry or fish, for flavor and

protein structure (ex. ground beef for beef stock) Mirepoix (optional) provides structure to the raft Egg whites, 1-2 per quart…the albumin form a

matrix that binds and filters out particulates An acid (optional), helps to coagulate protein

Tomato for beef or chicken Lemon juice or white wine for fish


Consommés, Terms Oignon Brulée, adds flavor and color Double Consommé

A consommé reduced by 1/2


Consommés, Garnishes Vegetables, classically cut Cooked meat and poultry Fresh herbs Rice Tapioca Truffles Pasta Crêpes, cut julienne Profiterolles, usually filled with a savory purée Quenelles, usually poached balls of forcemeat Royale, a savory custard cut into shapes


Making Consommés Begin with a stock of beef, game, chicken or

fish. (Not veal, it lacks sufficient flavor) Bring to a boil then allow to cool Make clearmeat. (ground meat, mirepoix, egg

whites and an acid)


Making Consommés Clarify the stock

Combine clearmeat mixture with COLD stock in a stockpot

Stir the mixture until the stock just reaches a simmer

Lower the heat and stop stirring Allow the raft to form, simmer about 1 hour


Making Consommés CAREFULLY Decant the Broth

Without disturbing the raft, ladle out the broth Strain the broth Skim off any fat


Making Consommés Finishing

Adjust seasoning, garnish and serve


Making Minestrone (Stock-Based Clear Soup)

Render Some Fat (ex.Pancetta)

Sweat (no color) the Mirepoix

Note: For a darker color soup and more flavor, ingredients may be caramelized.



Season as you go…build layers of flavor

Cook the vegetables until soft and translucent with no carmelization.Garlic other delicate spices may be added at this point to avoid scorching themFall 201114 CHRM 1120/O'Donnell


Add other ingredients…tomatoes, bouquet garni, and

parmesan rind

Add HOT liquid (stock or water). Taste as you go and assess the texture and flavor…adjust with seasoning and liquid



Simmer of 10-15 minutes…Stir occasionally

Skim off any foam



Cut vegetables a similar size… Add the vegetables in order of cooking time required



Add harder vegetables before softer

Starchy ingredients should be cooked separately and added at the end of cooking



Adding the cooked starches at the end avoids the soup from

getting cloudy and thick

Fresh herbs or leafy greens should be added at the very

end



Taste and check the vegetables are just tender and seasoning is correct…

SERVE HOT! (You should see the steam.) Ladle soup into a warm bowl, garnish and serve


Fall 2011CHRM 1120/O'Donnell21

Making Chicken Soup (Broth-Based Clear Soup)

Prepare the main ingredient…meat on the bone…

Fill with just enough COLD water to cover…



Bring to a simmer… Skim any foam that rises to the surface…



Drain the water and refill with clean COLD water (blanch)…

Continue to simmer and skim as needed…


Blanching

Blanching is especially important in red meat broths…



3 Parts Chicken to 1 Part Mirepoix

Add the mirepoix and top off with water to just cover the ingredients…



Season… Add the bouquet garni…



Delicate meats should be cooked until they are just until done…tougher meat should be cooked until tender

Remove the meat, cool and remove the meat from the bone and reserve…



Return the bones to the broth…

Top off with water as needed



Remove the solids and discard…

Strain the broth and defat…



Check seasoning and serve as is or with added garniture



Added ingredients or garniture add texture and substance to a soup.



Vegetables are common additions. Cut the vegetables evenly and add them according to how long each will take to cook. Vegetables should be just cooked through yet have some resistance to the bite…”al dente” and maintain their texture, color and flavor. More delicate items should be added right at the end. Fall 201133 CHRM 1120/O'Donnell


Starchy items like pasta, rice, grains & dried legumes should be cooked separately to maintain the clarity of the broth and keep the broth from becoming too thick.



Noodles cooked first then added…

Pasta cooked in the broth….



Add precook stuffed pasta… The cooked meat from the broth…



Raw proteins like seafood should be added at the end of cooking to avoid overcooking.

Garnish with fresh herbs, flavored oils, or olive oil


Thick Soups Cream Soups (Roux-Based)

Main ingredient simmered in white stock, a thin velouté, or béchamel and then pureed and strained

Purée Soups (Starch-Based) Starchy vegetables or

legumes are cooked in stock or broth and some or all of the ingredient is puréed

Puréed soups are coarser and generally not strained


Split Pea vs. Lentil Green Split Peas, are split with a flat side.

Lentils are whole

Fall 2011CHRM 1120/O'Donnell39

Traditional Bisques and Chowders Bisque

Shellfish soup thickened with cooked rice or starch or using a combination of cream and puréed soup procedures

Most of the flavor in a bisque comes from crustacean shells that are cooked in a broth, crushed or puréed and strained out.

Bisques are often enriched with cream

Chowder Hearty one-pot soup with large

chunks of the main ingredient AND potatoes

Usually contain milk or cream


Cold Soups Cooked Vichyssoise

Check seasoning cold Uncooked

Gazpacho


Garnishing Soups Clear Soups Cream Soups Purée Soups Any Soup


Soup Service Make in advance

Make small batches Clear soups lessen the risk scorching when reheated Consommés should have no traces of fat on the surface Thick soups are held more as a base then thinned with hot milk or cream or a thin

béchamel Check seasoning before service

Temperature Hot soups HOT!

Clear soups: 210˚F Cream Soups: 190˚F-200˚F

Cold soups COLD! (41˚F or less)


Today’s Lab: Consommé

1 gallon per Team Cream of Broccoli (Roux-Based)

1 Recipe per Team Vietnamese Pho (Broth-Based)

1 Recipe per Team Minestrone (Stock-Based)

1 Recipe per Team Split Pea Soup (Starch-Based)

1 Recipe per Team


Soups

Documents

stock of beef

clear soups stock

minestrone stock

clarified stock

cold stock

fish fall

broth clarification

broth skim