1.10: Soups

Introduction to Soups

Most soups can be classified by cooking technique and appearance as either clear or thick. Clear soups include broths that are made from meat, poultry, game, fish or vegetables as well as consommés, which are broths clarified to remove impurities. Another name for broths is bouillon.

Thick soups include cream soups and puree soups. The most common cream soups are those made from vegetables cooked in a liquid that is thickened with a starch and pureed; cream is then incorporated to add richness and flavor.

Pureed soups are generally made from starchy vegetables or legume s. After the main ingredient is simmered in a liquid, the mixture, or a portion of it, is pureed.

Some soups (notably bisques and chowders as well as cold soups such as gazpacho and fruit soup) are neither clear nor thick soups. Rather, they use special preparation methods or a combination of the methods mentioned before.

A soup's quality is determined by its flavor, appearance and texture. A good soup should be full-flavored, with no off or sour tastes. A soup is the beginning course and should set the tone for the rest of the meal. It is associated with comfort so the soup should be made with thought. Soups are a great way to utilize leftover foods and can be a great profit menu item. Flavors from each of the soup's ingredients should blend and complement, with no one flavor overpowering another. Consommés should be crystal clear. The vegetables in vegetable soups should be brightly colored, not gray. Garnishes should be attractive and uniform in size and shape. The soup's texture should be very precise. If it is supposed to be smooth, then it should be very smooth and lump-free. If the soft and crisp textures of certain ingredients are supposed to contrast, the soup should not be overcooked, as this causes all the ingredients to become mushy and soft.

Garnishing is an important consideration when preparing soups. Garnishes should complement the soup or add an additional affect to it such as complimentary flavors, textures and colors.

Classification of Soups - Escoffier

In his 1903 culinary treatise Le Guide Culinaire, Auguste Escoffier recognized many more categories of soups than we do today. They include the following:

1. Clear soups, which are always "clear consommés with a slight garnish in keeping with the nature of the consommé."
2. Purees, made from starchy vegetables, thickened with rice, potato, or soft breadcrumbs.
3. Cullises, which use poultry, game or fish for a base and thickened with rice, lentils, espagnole sauce or bread soaked in boiling salted water.
4. Bisques, which use shellfish cooked with a mirepoix as a base and thickened with rice.
5. Veloute, which use veloute sauce as a base and are finished with a liaison of egg yolks and cream.
6. Cream soups, which use bechamel sauce as a base and are finished with heavy cream.
7. Special soups, which are those that do not follow the procedures for veloute or creams.
8. Vegetable soups, which are usually paysanne or peasant-type and "do not demand very great precision in the apportionment of the vegetables of which they are composed, but they need great care and attention, notwithstanding. "Foreign soups, "which have a foreign origin whose use, although it may not be general, is yet sufficiently common."

Because of changes in consumer health consciousness and kitchen operations, many of the distinctions between Escoffier's classic soups have now become blurred and, in some cases, eliminated. As discussed in this chapter, for example, clear consommés and vegetable soups are now made with stocks or broths; most cream soups use veloute as a base and are finished with milk or cream rather than a liaison. However, not everything has changed: The procedures for making purees and bisques are essentially the same today as they were when Escoffier haunted the great kitchens of Europe.

Clear Soups

All clear soups start as stock or broth. Broths may be served as finished items, used as the base for other soups or refined (clarified) into consommés.

Broths

The techniques for making stocks are identical to those used for making broths. Like stocks, broths are prepared by simmering flavoring ingredients in a liquid for a long time. Broths and stocks differ, however, in two ways. First, broths are made with meat instead of just bones. Second, broths (often with a garnish) can be served as finished dishes, while stocks are generally used to prepare other items.

Broths are made from meat, poultry, fish or vegetables cooked in a liquid. An especially full-flavored broth results when a stock and not just water is used as the liquid. Cuts of meat from the shank, neck or shoulder result in more flavorful broths, as will the flesh of mature poultry. Proper temperature, skimming and straining help produce well-flavored, clear broths.

Broth Preparation method

1. Prepare the main ingredient.
2. Brown the meat; brown or sweat the mirepoix or vegetables as necessary.
3. Place the main ingredient and mirepoix or vegetables in an appropriate stockpot and add enough cold water or stock to cover. Add a bouquet garni or sachet d'epices if desired.
4. Bring the liquid slowly to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, skimming occasionally, until the main ingredient is tender and the flavor is fully developed.
5. Carefully strain the broth through a china cap lined with damp cheesecloth; try to disturb the flavoring ingredients as little as possible in order to preserve the broth's clarity.
6. Cool and store following the procedures for cooling stocks or bring to a boil, garnish as desired and hold for service.

Broth Soups

Broths are often used as bases for such familiar soups as vegetable, chicken noodle and beef barley.

Transforming a broth into a broth-based vegetable soup, for example, is quite simple. Although a broth may be served with a vegetable (or meat) garnish, a broth-based vegetable soup is a soup in which the vegetables (and meats) are cooked directly in the broth, adding flavor, body and texture to the finished product. Any number of vegetables can be used to make a vegetable soup; it could be a single vegetable as in onion soup or a dozen different vegetables for a hearty minestrone.

When making broth-based vegetable soups, each ingredient must be added at the proper time so that all ingredients are cooked when the soup is finished. The ingredients must cook long enough to add their flavors and soften sufficiently but not so long that they lose their identity and become too soft or mushy. Because broth-based vegetable soups are made by simmering ingredients directly in the broth, they are generally not as clear as plain broths but appearances are still important. So when cutting ingredients for the soup, pay particular attention so that the pieces are uniform and visually appealing. Small dice, julienne, batonnet, or paysanne cuts tend to be the most appropriate.

Broth Vegetable Preparation Method

1. Sweat long -cooking vegetables in butter or fat.
2. Add the appropriate stock or broth and bring to a simmer.
3. Add seasonings such as bay leaves, dried thyme, crushed peppercorns, parsley stems and garlic in a sachet, allowing enough time for the seasonings to flavor the soup.
4. Add additional ingredients according to their cooking times.
5. Simmer the soup to blend all the flavors.
6. If the soup is not for immediate service, cool and refrigerate it.
7. Just before service, add any garnishes that were prepared separately or do not require cooking.

Consommés

A consommé is a stock or broth that has been clarified to remove impurities so that it is clear. Traditionally, all clear broths were referred to as consommés; a clear broth further refined using the process described later was referred to as a double consommé. The term double consommé is still used occasionally to describe any strongly flavored consommé.

Well-prepared consommés should be rich in the flavor of the main ingredient. Beef and game consommés should be dark in color; consommés made from poultry should have a golden to light amber color. They should have substantial body because of their high gelatin content, and all consommés should be perfectly clear with no trace of fat.

Because a consommé is a refined broth, it is essential that the broth or stock used be of the highest quality. Although the clarification process adds some flavor to the consommé, the finished consommé will be only as good as the stock or broth from which it was made.

Consommé Preparation Method

1. In a suitable stockpot (one with a spigot makes it much easier to strain the consommé when it is finished), combine the ground meat, lightly beaten egg white and other clearmeat ingredients.
2. Add the cold stock or broth and stir to combine with the clearmeat ingredients.
3. Over medium heat, slowly bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
4. As the raft forms, make a hole in its center so that the liquid can bubble through, cooking the raft completely and extracting as much flavor as possible from the raft ingredients.
5. Simmer the consommé until full flavor develops, approximately 1 to 11 / 2 hours.
6. Carefully strain the consommé through several layers of cheesecloth and degrease completely.
7. If the consommé is not for immediate use, it cool and refrigerate. When the consommé is completely cold, remove any remaining fat that solidifies on its surface.
8. If, after reheating the consommé, small dots of fat appear on the surface, they can be removed by blotting with a small piece of paper towel.

Stock or Broth Clarification Method

To make consommé, you clarify a stock or broth. The stock or broth to be clarified must be cold and grease-free.

1. To clarify, the cold degreased stock or broth is combined with a mixture known as a clearmeat or clarification. A clearmeat is a mixture of egg whites; ground meat, poultry or fish; mirepoix, herbs and spices; and an acidic product, usually tomatoes, lemon juice or wine. (An oignon brule, also known as an onion brule, is also often added to help flavor and color the consommé.
2. The stock or broth and clearmeat are then slowly brought to a simmer. As the albumen in the egg whites and meat begins to coagulate, it traps impurities suspended in the liquid. As coagulation continues, the albumen -containing items combine with the other clearmeat ingredients and rise to the liquid's surface, forming a raft. As the mixture simmers, the raft ingredients release their flavors, further enriching the consommé.
3. After simmering, the consommé is carefully strained through several layers of cheesecloth to remove any trace of impurities. It is then completely degreased, either by cooling and refrigerating, then removing the solidified fat, or by carefully ladling the fat from the surface. The result is a rich, flavorful, crystal-clear consommé.

Correcting a Cloudy Consommé

A clarification may fail for a variety of reasons. For example, if the consommé is allowed to boil or if it is stirred after, the raft has formed, a cloudy consommé can result. If the consommé is insufficiently clear, a second clarification can be performed using the following procedure. This second clarification should be performed only once, however, and only if necessary, because the eggs remove not only impurities but also some of the consommé’s flavor and richness.

1. Thoroughly chill and degrease the consommé.
2. Lightly beat four egg whites per gallon (4 liters) of consommé and combine with the cold consommé.
3. Slowly bring the consommé to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Stop stirring when the egg whites begin to coagulate.
4. When the egg whites are coagulated, carefully strain the consommé.

Thick Soups

There are two kinds of thick soups: cream soups and puree soups. In general, cream soups are thickened with a roux or other starch, while puree soups rely on a puree of the main ingredient for thickening. But in certain ways the two soups are very similar: Some puree soups are finished with cream or partially thickened with a roux or other starch.

Cream Soups

Most cream soups are made by simmering the main flavoring ingredient (for example, broccoli for cream of broccoli soup) in a white stock or thin veloute sauce to which seasonings have been added. The mixture is then pureed and strained. After the consistency has been adjusted, the soup is finished by adding cream. In classic cuisine, thin bechamel sauce is often used as the base for cream soups and can be substituted for veloute in many cream soup recipes, if desired.

Both hard vegetables (for example, celery and squash) and soft or leafy vegetables (for example, spinach, corn, broccoli and asparagus) are used for cream soups. Hard vegetables are usually sweated in butter without browning before the liquid is incorporated. Soft and leafy vegetables are usually added to the soup after the liquid is brought to a boil. Because cream soups are pureed, it is important to cook the flavoring ingredients until they are soft and can be passed through a food mill easily.

All cream soups are finished with milk or cream. Using milk thins the soup while adding richness; using the same amount of cream adds much more richness without the same thinning effect. Cold milk and cream curdle easily if added directly to a hot or acidic soup.

To prevent curdling

1. Never add cold milk or cream to hot soup. Bring the milk or cream to a simmer before adding it to the soup.
2. Never temper the milk or cream by gradually adding some hot soup to it and then incorporating the warmed mixture into the rest of the soup.
3. Add the milk or cream to the soup just before service, if possible.
4. Do not boil the soup after the milk or cream has been added.
5. Use bechamel or cream sauce instead of milk or cream to finish cream soups because the presence of roux or other starch helps prevent curdling.

Puree Soups

Puree soups are hearty soups made by cooking starchy vegetables or legumes in a stock or broth, then pureeing all or a portion of them to thicken the soup. Puree soups are similar to cream soups in that they both consist of a main ingredient that is first cooked in a liquid, and then pureed. The primary difference is that unlike cream soups, which are thickened with starch, puree soups generally do not use additional starch for thickening. Rather, puree soups depend on the starch content of the main ingredient for thickening. In addition, puree soups are generally coarser than cream soups and are typically not strained after pureeing. When finishing puree soups with cream, follow the guidelines discussed previously for adding the cream to a cream soup.

Puree soups can be made with dried or fresh beans such as peas, lentils and navy beans, or with any number of vegetables, including cauliflower, celery root, turnips and potatoes. Diced potatoes or rice is often used to help thicken vegetable puree soups.

Adjusting Thick Soups

Cream and puree soups tend to thicken when made in advance and refrigerated. To dilute a portion being reheated, add hot stock, broth, water or milk to the hot soup as needed. If the soup is too thin, additional roux, beurre manie or cornstarch mixed with cool stock can be used to thicken it. If additional starch is added to thicken the soup, it should be used sparingly and the soup should be simmered a few minutes to cook out the starchy flavor. A liaison of egg yolks and heavy cream can be used to thicken cream soups when added richness is also desired. Remember, the soup must not boil after the liaison is added or it may curdle.

Additional Soups

Several popular types of soup do not fit the descriptions of, or follow the procedures for, either clear or thick soups. Soups such as bisques and chowders as well as many cold soups use special methods or a combination of the methods used for clear and thick soups.

Bisques

Traditional bisques are shellfish soups thickened with cooked rice. Today, bisques are prepared using a combination of the cream and puree soup procedures. They are generally made from shrimp, lobster, or crayfish and are thickened with a roux instead of rice for better stability and consistency.

Much of a bisque’s flavor comes from crustacean shells, which are simmered in the cooking liquid, pureed (along with the mirepoix), returned to the cooking liquid and strained after further cooking. Pureeing the shells and returning them to the soup also adds the thickness and grainy texture associated with bisques.

Bisques are enriched with cream, following the procedures for cream soups, and can be finished with butter for additional richness. The garnish should be diced flesh from the appropriate shellfish.

Chowders

Although chowders are usually associated with the eastern United States where fish and clams are plentiful, they are of French origin. Undoubtedly the word chowder is derived from the Breton phrase ‘Faire Chaudière’, which means to make a fish stew in a caldron. The procedure was probably brought to Nova Scotia by French settlers and later introduced to New England.

Chowders are hearty soups with chunks of the main ingredients (including, virtually always, diced potatoes) and garnishes. With some exceptions (notably, Manhattan clam chowder), chowders contain milk or cream. Although there are thin chowders, most chowders are thickened with roux. The procedures for making chowders are similar to those for making cream soups except that chowders are not pureed and strained before the cream is added.

Cold Soups

Cold soups can be as simple as a chilled version of a cream soup or as creative as a cold fruit soup blended with yogurt. Cold fruit soups have become popular on contemporary dessert menus. Other than the fact that they are cold, cold soups are difficult to classify because many of them use unique or combination preparation methods. Regardless, they are divided here into two categories: cold soups that require cooking and those that do not.

Cooked Cold Soups

Many cold soups are simply a chilled version of a hot soup. For example, ‘consommé madrilene’ and ‘consommé Portuguese’ are prepared hot and served cold.

Many cooked cold soups use fruit juice (typically apple, grape, or orange) as a base, and thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot as well as with pureed fruit. For additional flavor, wine is sometimes used in lieu of a portion of the fruit juice. Cinnamon, ginger and other spices that complement fruit are commonly added, as is lemon or lime juice, which adds acidity as well as flavor. Crème fraiche, yogurt or sour cream can be used as an ingredient or garnish to add richness.

Un-Cooked Cold Soups

Some cold soups are not cooked at all. Rather, they rely only on pureed fruits or vegetables for thickness, body and flavor. Cold stock is sometimes used to adjust the soup's consistency. Dairy products such as cream, sour cream, and crème fraiche are sometimes added to enrich and flavor the soup.

Garnishing Soups

Garnishes and toppings can range from a simple sprinkle of chopped parsley on a bowl of cream soup to tiny profiteroles stuffed with foie gras adorning a crystal-clear bowl of consomme. Some soups are so full of attractive, flavorful and colorful foods that are integral parts of the soup (for example, vegetables and chicken in chicken vegetable soup) that no additional garnishes are necessary. In others, the garnish determines the type of soup. For example, a beef broth garnished with cooked barley and diced beef becomes beef barley soup.

Garnishing Guidelines

Although some soups (particularly consommés) have traditional garnishes, many soups depend on the chef's imagination and the kitchen’s inventory for the finishing garnish. The only rules are as follows:

• The garnish should be attractive.
• The meats and vegetables used should be neatly cut into an appropriate and uniform shape and size. This is particularly important when garnishing a clear soup such as a consommé, as the consommé’s clarity highlights the precise (or imprecise) cuts.
• The garnish's texture and flavor should complement the soup.
• Starches and vegetables used as garnishes should be cooked separately, reheated and placed in the soup bowl before the hot soup is added. If they are cooked in the soup, they may cloud or thicken the soup or alter its flavor, texture and seasoning.
• Garnishes should be cooked just until done; meat and poultry should be tender but not falling apart, vegetables should be firm but not mushy, and pasta and rice should maintain their identity. These types of garnishes are usually held on the side and added to the hot soup at the last minute to prevent overcooking.

Garnishing Suggestions

Some garnishes are used to add texture, as well as flavor and visual interest, to soups. Items such as crunchy croutons or oyster crackers, or crispy crumbled bacon on a cream soup, or diced meat in a clear broth soup add a textural variety that makes the final product more appealing.

• Clear soups- any combination of julienne cuts of the same meat, poultry, fish or vegetable that provides the dominant flavor in the stock or broth; vegetables (cut uniformly into any shape), pasta (flat, small tortellini or tiny ravioli), gnocchi, quenelles, barley, spaetzle, white or wild rice, croutons, crepes, tortillas or won tons.
• Cream soups, hot or cold- toasted slivered almonds, sour cream or crème fraiche, croutons, grated cheese or puff pastry fleurons’; cream vegetable soups are usually garnished with slices or florets of the main ingredient.
• Puree soups- julienne cuts of poultry or ham, sliced sausage, croutons, and grated cheese or bacon bits.
• Any soup- finely chopped fresh herbs, snipped chives, edible flowers, parsley or watercress.

Preparing Soup in Advance

Most soups can be made ahead of time, and reheated as needed for service. To preserve freshness and quality, small batches of soup should be heated as needed throughout the meal service.

Clear soups are quite easy to reheat because there is little danger of scorching. If garnishes are already added to a clear soup, care should be taken not to overcook the garnishes when reheating the soup. All traces of fat should be removed from a consommé’s surface before reheating.

Thick soups present more of a challenge. To increase shelf life and reduce the risk of spoilage, cool and refrigerate a thick soup when it is still a base (that is, before it is finished with milk or cream). Just before service, carefully reheat the soup base using a heavy-gauge pot over low heat. Stir often to prevent scorching. Then finish the soup (following the guidelines noted earlier) with boiling milk or cream, a light bechamel sauce or a liaison and adjust the seasonings. Always taste the soup after reheating and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Temperature

The rule is simple: Serve hot soup hot and cold soup cold. Hot clear soups should be served near boiling; 210°F (99°C) is ideal. Hot cream soups should be served at slightly lower temperatures; 190°F- 200°F (88°C- 93°C) is acceptable. Cold soups should be served at a temperature of 41°F (5°C) or below, and are sometimes presented in special serving pieces surrounded by ice.

Soup, often served as the first course, may determine the success or failure of an entire meal. Although a wide variety of ingredients can be used to make both clear and thick soups, including trimmings and leftovers, poor-quality ingredients make poor-quality soups. By using, adapting and combining the basic techniques described in this chapter with different ingredients, a chef can create an infinite number of new and appetizing hot or cold soups. However, exercise good judgment when combining flavors and techniques; they should blend well and complement each other. Moreover, any garnishes that are added should contribute to the appearance and character of the finished soup.

Butternut squash soup plate up example. Photo Credit: Amelie Zeringue