SOUPS

          Soups are a liquid food that is derived from meat, fish, poultry, and Vegetables. Soups are most often served at the beginning of a meal or as the main course for lunch or a snack. The term soupe originally referred to the slice of bread upon which the contents of a cooking pot (potage) were poured. When referring to soups, it is important to know that all soups will fall into three broad categories.

Classification of soup

     Thin Soup           

Consommé (Consommé Brunoise)

Broth (Scotch broth)

Bouillon (Chicken tomato Bouillon)

Vegetable Soup (Clear Vegetable Soup)

Thick Soup          

Cream Soup (Cream of Tomato)

Puree Soup (Puree of Green Peas)

Veloute (Chicken Veloute)

Bisques (Shrimp Bisque)

Chowders(Potato Chowder)

Speciality             

National Soup (French onion soup, Minestrone)

Cold Soup (Gazpacho)

1. Thin soup or clear soups - These soups are all based on a clear, un-thickened broth or stock. They may be served plain or garnished with a variety of vegetables and meats

·                     Broth and Bouillon are two terms used in many different ways, but in general they both refer to simple, clear soups without solid ingredients.

·                     Vegetable soup is clear, seasoned stock or broth with the addition of one or more vegetables and sometimes meat or poultry products and starches.

·                     Consommé is a rich, flavoured stock or broth that has been clarified to make it perfectly clear and transparent.

The difference between a broth and a stock is that a broth, according to the most common definition, is made by simmering meat and vegetables, while a stock is made by simmering bones and vegetables. Because of this difference, a well-made stock is generally richer in gelatine content than a broth, because gelatine is derived from cartilage and connective tissue. A broth, on the other hand, usually has a more pronounced flavour of meat or poultry than a stock. A more neutral flavour is desired in a stock, which is used as the base for many sauces as well as soups. A broth, on the other hand, is an excellent choice as the base of a soup when a distinct meat flavour is desired.

HOW CLARIFICATION WORKS Well Flavoured, fat free stock is brought slowly to a boil a clarification mixture is whisked in. As the albumin in the egg whites and the ground meat in the clarification mixture cooks, it expands and rises to the top of the stock. It forms a gray froth of coagulated proteins which form a filter. This is known as RAFT. The consommé is left to simmer for approximately an hour. The mixture is not allowed to boil once the raft has formed. The strong rolling action would break the raft part.

2. Thick soups:  Thick soups are opaque rather than transparent. They are thickened either by adding a thickening agent such as roux, or by pureeing one or more of their ingredients to provide a heavier consistency.

·                     Cream soups are soups that are thickened with roux, beurre manié, liaison, or other added thickening agents and has all the addition of milk / cream. Cream soups are usually named after their major ingredient, such as cream of tomato, cream of broccoli.

·                     Purees are soups that are naturally thickened by pureeing one or more of their ingredients. They may be made with dry legumes or from fresh starchy vegetables. Purees may or may not contain cream.

·                     Bisques are thickened soups made from shell fish. They are usually prepared like cream soups and are almost always finished with cream. At one time, bisques were thickened with rice, but today they are more frequently thickened with roux. Bisques are made basically like other cream soups, but they seem more complex because of the handling of the shellfish and the variety of flavouring ingredients often used. Expensive to prepare and rich in taste, they are considered luxury soups.

·                     Chowders are American soups made from fish, shellfish or vegetables. They usually contain milk and potatoes. Chowders are chunky, hearty soups that are so full of good things that they sometimes are more like stews than soups. Many types of chowder are simply cream soups or purée soups that are not puréed but left chunky.

·                     Velouté is made with a Blond Roux and flavoured stock, prepared in the same way as a Velouté sauce and Liaison is added to finish. A Liaison is Egg Yolks and Double Cream

3. Specialty 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 are simply cold versions of basic clear and thick soups.

Some of the international soups

·                     Minestrone                               Italy

·                     Green turtle soup                    England

·                     French onion soup                  France

·                     Cock-a-leekie                           Scotland    

·                     Mulligatawny                           India

·                     Gazpacho                                 Spain

·                     Paprika                                    Hungry      

·                     Manhattan clam chowder        America

·                     Scotch broth                            Scotland

·                     Camaro                                    Brazil

CONSOMMÉ (basic)

Consommé are clear soups made using beef, veal, poultry, and game or fish stocks.  They are often made using a combination of beef or veal and poultry.  Having clarified the soup the consommé should be fat free, crystal clear, amber in colour with good flavour.  To avoid producing too dark a consommé a combination of white and brown stock may be used

Recipe of BASIC BEEF CONSOMMÉ

Ingredients:

·         Brown stock                   1.5 lt

·         White of eggs                  2

·         Onions                           50 g

·         Celery                             50 g

·         Minced meat                  500 g

·         Carrots                           50 g

·         Leeks                              20g

·         Bouquet garni                         

·         Salt to taste

Method

1.   Place the minced meat in a saucepan; add the salt, whites of eggs and dices vegetables mixed thoroughly with a little cold stock.

2.   Gradually add the remainder of the cold stock.  Bring to the boil slowly, stirring from time to time with a wooden spoon.

3.   When just boiling remove spoon and allow to simmer gently for 2 ½ hours.  Do not disturb the contents during cooking.

4.   Strain through 4 layers of damp muslin.

5.   Re boil and remove all fat with absorbent paper.

6.   Correct the colour, seasoning and garnish as required.

Notes:   

·         To improve the quality and strength of this soup ½ brown stock and ½ chicken stock may be used.

·         The stock for this recipe has been increased by 20% to allow for evaporation during the long cooking process.

·         When large quantities are cooked a stockpot with a tap should be used to facilitate straining.

·         Do not use vegetables such as cabbage, turnips, potatoes, swedes or parsnips when producing and clarifying consommé, as they will spoil the clarity and flavour.  To some extent they may be used a garnish items. During the preparation, cooking and final stages of making consommé there are several faults, which may occur if proper care and attention is   not paid to the recipes and methods used. These can be prevented by awareness and may or may not be rectified.

Consommé Variation :

Name                                                Ingredients / Garnish

Consommé Royale	Dices savory egg custard
Consommé Julienne	Julienne of vegetables
Consommé Brunoise	Brunoise of vegetables
Consommé Celestine	Julienne of thin pan cake
Consommé Breton	Juliennes of celery, onion and leeks
Consommé Dubbary	Floweret’s of cauliflower
Consommé Florentine	Juliennes of blanched spinach
Consommé St. Germain	Fresh green peas
Consommé Cereals	Rice and barley
Consommé Madrilène	Flavoured with tomato and celery, garnished with tomato flesh

STANDARD PORTION SIZES

·                     Appetizer portion                     6 to 8 oz (200 to 250 ml)

·                     Main course portion                10 to 12 oz (300 to 350 ml)

TEMPERATURE

·         Serve hot soups hot, in hot cups or bowls.

·         Serve cold soups cold, in chilled bowls or even nested in a larger bowl of Crushed ice.

Important Questions

1.               Define Soups.

2.               Classify soup with example in a chart form.

3.               Give the recipe of 1 litre consommé.

4.               Explain five consommé garnishes.

5.               What are the ingredients used to clarify consommé

6.               List the basic reason for cloudy consommé

7.               What are the major compositions of the Soup?

8.               What is a liaison and when is it added to soup.

9.               Explain chowder and bisque.

10.           Name six national soups giving the country of origin.

11.           Difference between cream soup and puree soup.