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Professional Chefs Association - Continuing Education PCA – edu
Table of Content
The preparation of stocks has been simplified in many ways since the days of Escoffier, although this does not mean that it demands less care or skill. Few chefs today bother to tie vegetables for a stock into a bundle, for example. They're going to be strained out anyway. The number and variety of ingredients is usually not as great as it once was. Nor is it common to cook stocks for as many hours as were once thought necessary. All these details will be taken up one by one in this section. A stock may be defined as a clear, thin (that is, un- thickened) liquid flavored by soluble substances ex-tracted from the meat, poultry, and fish, and their bones, and from vegetables and seasonings. Our object in preparing stocks is to select the proper ingredients and then to extract the flavors we want. In other words, combine the correct ingredients with the correct procedure.
Ingredients Bones are the major ingredient of stocks (except water , of course). Most of the flavor and body of stocks is de- rived from the bones of beef, veal, chicken, fish, and occasionally lamb, pork, ham, and game. The kinds of bones used determine the kind of stock. Chicken stock, of course, is made from chicken bones. White stock is made from beef or veal bones or a combination of the two. Chicken bones or even pork bones are sometimes added in small quantity. Brown stock is made from beef or veal bones that have been browned in an oven. Fish stock is made from fish bones and trimmings left over after filleting. Bones from lean white fish give the best stock. Fat fish are not normally used. The term fumet is often used for a flavorful fish stock. Lamb, game, turkey, and other stocks have specialized uses.
I. When certain connective tissues (called collagen) break down, they form gelatin. This gives body to a stock, an important feature of its quality. A well- made stock will thicken or even solidify when chilled. 2. Cartilage is the best source of gelatin in bones. Younger animals have more cartilage in their skeletons. As they become older, this hardens into solid bone, which is harder to dissolve into stocks. Knuckle bones, on the joints of major bones, have a lot of cartilage and are valued in stock making. Neck bones and shank bones are also used a great deal. Cut large bones into pieces about 3 inches (8 centimeters) long. This exposes more surface area and aids extraction. Also, the bones are easier to handle. Meat Because of its cost, meat is rarely used in stock making any more. (Exception: chicken hearts and gizzards are often used in chicken stock) Occasionally a broth is produced as a result of simmering meat or poultry, as when fowl is cooked for dishes like creamed chicken. This broth can then be used like a stock. However, the chicken is considered the object of the game in this case. The broth is just a by-product. In this book we use the word broth to mean a flavorful liquid obtained from the simmering of meats and/or vegetables. ~ Mirepoix ~ Aromatic vegetables are the second most important contributors of flavor to stocks. Mirepoix is a combination of onions, carrots, and celery. It is a basic flavoring preparation that is used in all areas of cooking, not only for flavoring stocks, but also for sauces, soups, meats, poultry, fish, and vegetables. (The classical mirepoix of decades ago contained a wider variety of ingredients, sometimes including ham or bacon, leeks and other vegetables, and one or more fresh herbs. The modem version is considerably simplified.) Learn the following proportions well. Mirepoix is a basic preparation that you will need throughout your career. A white mirepoix, made without carrots, is used when it is necessary to keep the stock as colorless as possible. Mushroom trimmings may be added to white mirepoix. When cost permits, it is a good idea to include some leeks in the mirepoix, in place of part of the on- ions. They give an excellent flavor. Cutting mirepoix Chop the vegetables coarsely into relatively uni- form-sized pieces. Since mirepoix is rarely served, it is not usually necessary to cut it neatly. The size depends on how long it will cook. If the mirepoix will cook a long time, as for beef stock, cut into large pieces (I to 2 inches). Cutting into small pieces is necessary for releasing flavors in a short time, as when used for fish stock. Acid products Acids, help dissolve connective tissue. Thus they are sometimes used in stock making to extract flavor and body from bones. Tomato products contribute flavor and some acid to brown stocks. They are not used for white stocks, because they would give an undesirable color. Also, when making brown stocks, be careful not to add too much tomato, because this may make the stock cloudy. Wine is occasionally used, especially for fish stocks. Its flavor contribution is probably more important than its acidity. Scraps and leftovers In some kitchens a stock pot is kept going all day, and various scraps are constantly being thrown in. This mayor may not be a good idea. Scraps may be used in stocks if they are clean, wholesome, and appropriate to the stock being made. If done correctly, stock making is a good way of utilizing trimmings that would otherwise be thrown out. It is better to save trimmings and use them in a planned way, rather than to throw them into the stock randomly. A stock pot is not a garbage disposal, and the final product is only as good as the ingredients and the care that go into it. Seasonings and spices I. Salt is usually not added when making stocks. Stocks are never used as is, but are reduced, concentrated, and combined with other ingredients. If salt had been added, it might become too concentrated. Some chefs salt stocks very lightly, because they feel it aids in extracting flavor. 2. Herbs and spices should be used only lightly. They should never dominate a stock or have a pronounced flavor. Herbs and spices are usually tied in a cheese- cloth bag called a sachet. The sachet is tied by a string to the handle of the stock pot so it can be removed easily at any time.
Bouquet garni is another important term, generally used fur a sachet that contains no spices, but only herbs, such as parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and celery leaves. The word "bouquet" derives from the practice of tying fresh herbs in a bundle with string rather than in cheesecloth. Obviously, this cannot be done with dried herbs. The following seasonings, in varying amounts, are commonly used for stocks: Thyme, Bay leaves, Peppercorns, Parsley stems Cloves, whole Garlic (optional)
Recipe: White Stock
Cut bones with a meat saw. Wash in cold water Place bones in stock pot and cover with cold water Heat to the boiling point (blanch) Drain Cover bones with water. Add bouquet garni and spices Simmer for 4 hours. Remove scum as it accumulates Skim and strain
Culinary terms: Simmer: To cook in water or liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 to 200 F (85 to 93 C)
Recipe: Brown Stock
Place bones and fat in a roasting pan Brown in oven at 375F Turn bones occasionally to brown uniformly Mirepoix is added to partially browned bones and together both are then browned to final stage. Tomato puree is optional Drain fat from pan and reserve Deglaze roasting pan with small amount of water Cover bones with deglzing liquid and water, add pork rind and seasoning, heat to the boiling point Simmer for 5 to 6 hours Skim surface and add more water if necessary Strain through cloth
Simmer: To cook in water or liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 to 200 F (85 to 93 C)
Recipe: Chicken Stock
Wash bones in cold water Place bones in stock pot and cover with cold water Bring to boil (blanch) Drain Cover bones with water Add bouquet garni and spices Simmer for 4 hours Remove the scum as it accumulates Strain through cloth
Culinary terms: Mirepoix; A mixture of rough cut or diced vegetables, Herb’s, and spices used for flavoring.
Stock; A clear, thin liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, and fish, and their bones, and from vegetables and seasonings.
Recipe: Fish Stock
Chop and wash bones Sauté the mirepoix in butter Combine the fish bones, mirepoix and water Heat to the boiling point Remove scum as it accumulates Add wine and salt to the stock and simmer for 30 minutes Strain
Boil: To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling rapidly, about 212 F ( 100 C ) Simmer: To cook in water or liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 to 200 F (85 to 93 C)
SECOND COOKING OF BASIC STOCK -REMOUILLAGE
The second cooking of a basic stock is called remouillage. It is used in the preparation of meat ex- tract (glace de viande). The cooked chicken and game are added to the basic stock and a mirepoix. The stock is simmered for 5 hours. MEAT EXTRACT -GLACE DE VIANDE This meat extract is prepared by reducing the brown stock to a gelatinous consistency. The glaze is used to improve the flavor of sauces and to coat certain meats, game, poultry, and aspics. The meat extract is made by straining the remouillage or brown stock into a heavy stock pot. The stock is allowed to simmer over low heat to a syrupy consistency. Towards the end, the remaining liquid should be strained into a smaller, heavy bottom saucepan. The heat should be very low, and the glaze should simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon. The hot glaze should be poured into containers, covered tightly, and refrigerated. Glace de poisson and Glace de gibier are obtained by reducing a Fumet de poisson and a Fond de gibier, respectively. Recipe: Glace de Viande
Reduce the stock over moderate heat Skim the surface frequently When reduced by half to two-thirds, strain into a smaller, heavy saucepan and continue to reduce over lower heat until is syrupy and coast a spoon Pour into container, cool, cover and refrigerate Glazes will keep for several weeks or longer if properly stored. They may also be frozen.
The cost, both in time and materials, of making stocks in modern kitchens has lead to the widespread use of concentrated convenience products known as bases. These are diluted with water to make flavored liquids similar to stocks. Glazes can be considered to be bases, and in fact they are the original bases, used long before to- day's manufacturers started producing convenience products. Bases are also added to stocks to supplement them when there is only a small quantity of stock on hand. In addition, bases are sometimes added to weak stocks to give them more flavor, but this is not as good a practice as making the stock properly in the first place. Using bases requires taste and judgment, just as in other areas of cookery. If used without care and re-straint, they can detract from the quality of your cooking. But, used carefully, bases can be a valuable tool in some situations. Always taste and evaluate as you cook. There is no substitute for a well-made stock. But it is also true that a good base may be better than a poorly made stock. It all depends on the skills you are learning now.
The foundation of a good sauce is a stock that has been skillfully prepared. There are, however, some sauces that do not require stock, such as Hollandaise and Beamaise. Sauces are used to add richness and color, and to enhance the flavor of certain foods. A sauce should have a smooth texture and a flavor and consistency that complements the food it accompanies; it should never mask the flavor of the food. There are many different preparations for the sauces, and there are distinct differences in their flavor, texture, and appearance. Sauces fall into two basic categories: warm and cold sauces. The warm sauces are derived from a few basic brown or white sauces. The Sauce Espagnole was considered, at one time, the basic ingredient of all brown sauces, and as a result, the flavor and consistency of all brown sauces were very similar. The quality of the sauce was further affected by not reducing the stock sufficiently in order to obtain a greater yield. In recent years the Espagnole has been replaced by the delicate, reduced, and partially-bound veal stock, Fond brun lie. In addition to the Fond brun, there are other basic sauces with many variations. Special seasonings, garnishes, and other ingredients may be added to pro- vide an even greater variety .The strength of the sauce is increased and the flavor improved by reducing the volume. The preparation of fine sauces is an art, and it is usually assigned to the cooks who have had an ex- tensive background of training and experience. The Leading Sauces Liquid Thickening Agent Leading Sauce - also known as Mother Sauces Milk + White roux = Bechamel Sauce White stock + White or blond roux = Veloute (veal, chicken, veloute, fish) chicken veloute, fish veloute) Brown stock + Brown roux = Brown Sauce or Espagnole Tomato plus stock + (Optional roux) = Tomato Sauce Butter + Egg yolks = Hollandaise Note: Roux is not used in all tomato sauces, since tomato puree is naturally thick. To these five sauces, we add one more Fond Lie, meaning "thickened stock." It is sometimes used in place of Espagnole. Brown stock + Cornstarch = Fond Lie Most of these sauces have a few other ingredients for flavoring. Yet, knowing this basic structure is the key to making sauces. Small Sauces The major Leading Sauces-Bechamel; Veal, Chicken, and Fish Veloutes, and Espagnole-are rarely used by themselves as sauces. They are more important as the bases for other sauces, called Small Sauces. Tomato Sauce and Hollandaise are used as they are, but they, too, are important as bases for Small Sauces. Let's expand our sauce family chart one more generation to include some examples of the Small Sauces, to show the relationships is probably a little more complicated than you had expected, because of the extra arrows and the extra category of Secondary Leading Sauces. These are relatively easy to explain.
Secondary Leading White Sauces These three sauces-Allemande, Supreme, and White Wine-are really finished sauces, like other Small Sauces. But they are used so often to build other Small Sauces that they rate a special category. For example, to make Supreme Sauce, you add cream to Chicken Veloute. To make Albufera Sauce, you can add meat glaze to your Supreme Sauce. Or, if you don't have Supreme Sauce, you can make it by adding both cream and meat glaze to Chicken Veloute. a. Demiglaze is defined as half brown sauce plus half brown stock, reduced by half. Most chefs prefer Demiglaze to Espagnole as a base for Small Sauces because of its more concentrated, more fully developed flavor . It is possible to make Small Sauces directly from Espagnole, but they will not be as fine. b. Some modern chefs, especially those who practice Nouvelle Cuisine, feel that Espagnole is too heavy for modern tastes and that lighter sauces are required. These chefs prepare De-miglaze from Fond Lie, by reducing it with mirepoix, white wine, and seasonings, or by sim- ply reducing by half a very flavorful brown stock. In other words, Demiglaze may be considered to be a well-flavored brown stock, reduced by half, thickened with roux or cornstarch or left un-thickened (except by natural gelatin). To be even more confusing, there is, in addition, a Mushroom Sauce made with Brown Sauce. There are also both a white and a brown sauce called Bercy. These should be considered unrelated sauces that happen to have the same name. 4. Hollandaise and Bearnaise These are essentially two variations of the same kind of sauce, with different flavorings. Each has its own small family of Small Sauces.
Recipe: Béchamel Sauce
Heat butter in heavy sauce pan Add flour, make white roux In another saucepan heat milk, add gradually the roux Bring sauce to boil, stir constantly, reduce to simmer Add clove and onion Simmer for 15 minutes Adjust consistency with more hot milk Season very lightly with salt, nutmeg and white pepper Strain through china cap
Chef’s Tip: Cover or spread melted butter on surface to prevent skin formation. Keep hot in bain marie, or cool in cold water bath for later use
Recipe: Veloute (Veal, Chicken or Fish)
Heat butter in heavy sauce pan Add flour, make blond roux Cool roux slightly In another saucepan heat milk, add gradually the roux Bring sauce to boil, stir constantly, reduce to simmer Simmer sauce very slowly for 1 hour Add more stock if needed to adjust consistency Do not season
Boil: To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling rapidly, about 212 F ( 100 C ) Simmer: To cook in water or liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 to 200 F (85 to 93 C) Recipe: Brown Sauce – Sauce Espagnole
Saute mirepoix in butter until well browned Add flour – stir make brown roux Add Tomato puree Gradually stir in brown stock, bring to boil Simmer for 2 hours (skim surface) Strain through a china cap, press on the mirepoix gently to extract their juices
Culinary terms: Mirepoix; A mixture of rough cut or diced vegetables, Herb’s, and spices used for flavoring.
Chef’s Tip: Cover or spread melted butter on surface to prevent skin formation. Keep hot in bain marie, or cool in cold water bath for later use
Recipe: Tomato Sauce
Sauté Salt pork in butter until partially rendered Add onins, carrots, celery Stir in flour to make roux – lightly browned Slowly add stock and tomatoes and tomato puree Add sachet Simmer 1 hour Remove sachet, strain pass through a food mill Season to taste with salt and sugar
Simmer: To cook in water or liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 to 200 F (85 to 93 C)
Recipe: Sauce Hollandaise
Heat up peppercorns, salt and vinegar in a saucepan, reduce and strain Beat egg yolks and cold water and above reduction over a steam bath until thickened and creamy Remove bowl from heat and slowly and gradually beat in the warm butter Add lemon juice and seasoning
Chef tip: If necessary, thin the sauce with a few drops of warm water Stock;
To marinate means to soak a food product in a seasoned liquid in order to: 1. Flavor the product. 2. Tenderize the product. Note: The tenderizing effect of the acids in the marinade is relatively small. It is still essential to match the proper cut of meat with the proper cooking techniques for greatest tenderness. The marinade can also serve as the cooking medium and become part of the sauce. Vegetable marinades, called vinaigrettes, are served cold with the vegetables as salads or hors d'oeuvres, without further cooking or processing.
Marinades have three categories of ingredients. 1. Oil Helps preserve the meat's moisture. Sometimes omitted, especially for long marinating, when the oil would only float on top, out of contact with the product being marinated. A tasteless vegetable oil is usually used. Some- times olive oil is used for its distinctive flavor. 2. Acid-from vinegar, lemon juice, wine. Helps tenderize protein foods. Carries flavors (its own, and dissolved flavors from spices and herbs). 3. Flavorings-spices, herbs, vegetables. A wide choice available, depending on purpose. Whole spices release flavors more slowly, so are more suitable for long marinating. Kinds of marinades 1. Cooked Used when long keeping quality is important. Modern refrigeration has made cooked marinades less widely used. An advantage of cooked marinades is that spices release more flavor into the marinade when it is cooked. 2. Raw. Most widely used for long marinating under refrigeration. For example, see the recipe for Sauerbraten, page 234. 3. Instant. There is a wide variety of flavors and purposes. Used for marinating a few minutes up to several hours or overnight. For example, see the recipe for London Broil, Guidelines for Marinating 1. Marinate under refrigeration (unless product is to be cooked in only a few minutes). 2. The thicker the product, the longer it takes for the marinade to penetrate. Some foods are marinated a week or longer . 3. Use an acid-resistant container, such as stainless steel, glass, crockery, or some plastics. 4. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag (sachet) if easy remaval is important. 5. Cover the product completely with the marinade. When marinating small items a short time, you may use less liquid, but you must then turn the product frequently for even penetration.
The popularity of soups today may be due to increased nutrition consciousness, to a desire for simpler or lighter meals, or to an increased appreciation of how appetizing and satisfying soups can be.
After studying this chapter, you should be able to: Describe the major categories of soups Serve Soups properly Prepare clarified consommé Prepare vegetable soups Prepare cream soups Prepare puree soups Prepare bisques, chowders, and other national soups
Soups, according to the dictionary, is a liquid food derived from meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables. This definition is all right as far as it goes, but there’s a lot it doesn’t tell us. Is a stock, straight from the stock pot, a soup? Is beef stew liquid enough to be called soup?
We’re interested more in production techniques than in definitions. However, a few definitions will be necessary before we can go into the kitchen, so that we can talk to each other in the same language. Definitions aren’t rules, so don’t be alarmed if you hear other books or chefs use these terms differently. What matters is that you learn techniques and are able to adapt them to many uses. Classifications
Soups can be divided into three basic categories:
Clear or un-thickened soups These soups are all based on a clear, un-thickened broth or stock.
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 a clear, seasoned stock or broth with the addition of one or more vegetable, and sometimes meat or poultry products and starches. Consommé is a rich, flavorful stock or broth that has been clarified to make it perfectly clear and transparent.
Thick soups Unlike clear soups, thick soups are opaque rather than transparent. They are thickened either by adding a thickening agent such as a 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 manie, liaison, or other added thickening agents, and have the addition of milk and / or cream. Puree soups are naturally thickened by pureeing one or more of their ingredients. They are not as smooth and creamy as cream soups. Bisques are thickened soups made from shellfish. They are usually prepared like cream soups and almost always finished with cream. Chowders are hearty American soups made from fish, shellfish, and /or vegetables. Potage is a term sometimes associated with certain thick, hearty soups, but it is actually a general term for soups. A clear soup is called a potage clair in French.
Specialty and nation 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 region
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, Vichyssoise are simply cold versions of basic clear and thick soups.
Clear Soups This term generally refers to bouillon’s or consommés made from beef. Special consommés such as poultry or fish should be identified as such on the menu.
Rule number one for preparing consommé is that the stock or broth must be strong, rich, and full flavored. Clarification is second in importance to strength.
Basic ingredients The mixture of ingredients we use to clarify a stock is called the clearmeat or the clarification. Lean ground meat is a major source of protein that enables the clearmeat to do its job. Egg whites are included in the clearmeat because, being mostly albumin, they greatly strengthen its clarifying power. Mirepoix and other seasoning and flavoring ingredients add flavor to the finished consommé. Acid ingredients tomato products for beef or chicken consommé, lemon juice or white wine for fish consommé, are added because the acidity helps coagulate the protein.
Procedure for Preparing Consommé Start with well-flavored, cold, strong stock or broth. Combine the clear meat ingredients in the soup pot and mix them vigorously. Gradually add the cold, degreased stock, mix well, do not cover Set the pot over moderately low fire and let it come to simmer very slowly. Stir occasionally to avoid clear meat from burning to the bottom. Once liquid reached simmering point, lower heat, let simmer for 1-2 hours. Strain the consommé through a china cap lined with layers of cheesecloth. Degrease, remove all traces of fat from surface. Recipe: BEEF BOUILLON
Simmer for 4 hours, skimming off foam and fat occasionally Put bones and meat in cold water. Bring to boil and skim Add remaining ingredients. Strain through cheesecloth. Chef’s Tip: If the bouillon is being prepared for a dish with boiled beef, the meat should be put in boiling water. First brown the onions and add them with the skin in order to give the bouillon a good color.
Boil: To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling rapidly, about 212 F ( 100 C ) Simmer: To cook in water or liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 to 200 F (85 to 93 C)
Recipe: CLEAR VEGETABLE SOUP
Heat the butter in a heavy sauce pot over medium low heat. Add vegetables. Sweat in butter till half cooked. To not let them brown. Add stock. Bring to a boil and skim carefully. Simmer until vegetables are just barley tender. Add tomatoes, seasoning. Before serving, add Peas.
Chef’s Tip: Some cooks feel that soups must be simmered a long time to extract flavors into the liquid. But you should already have done this when you made the stock! Vegetables in soup should be no more overcooked than vegetable side dishes, especially since the soup will probably spend a longer time in the steam table. Simmer: To cook in water or liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 to 200 F (85 to 93 C)
Boil: To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling rapidly, about 212 F ( 100 C )
Recipe: CONSOMMÉ
Combine the beef, Mirepoix, Onions, Egg Whites, Tomatoes, Herb’s, and spices in a tall, heavy stock pot. Mix the ingredients vigorously with a wooden paddle or a heavy Tomato (crushed) whip. Add halve cold stock, rest for 30 minutes, Gradually stir in the rest bring to simmer, reduce heat and slowly simmer for 1-2 hours. Strain through cheese cloth Cold Beef, Chef’s Tip: If clarification fails because you let it boil, strain, cool down, then slowly add it to the mixture of ice cubes and egg whites. Carefully return to simmer and proceed with clarification. For Chicken Consommé use Chicken Stock and Chicken trimmings (such as wing tips and necks) which have been chopped and browned. Omit tomatoes.
Culinary terms: Mirepoix; A mixture of rough cut or diced vegetables, Herb’s, and spices used for flavoring.
Stock; A clear, thin liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, and fish, and their bones, and from vegetables and seasonings.
Learning to cook professionally, as you have already heard, is not learning recipes but learning basic techniques that you can apply to specific needs. The classic cream soups In the great kitchens of several decades ago, cream soups were exactly as we have described: diluted; flavored sauces. In fact we now call cream soups were divided into two groups, Veloutes and Creams. Veloute Soups consisted oft: Veloute sauce Pureed flavoured ingredients White stock, to dilute Liaison, to finish Cream Soups consisted oft: Bechamel sauce Pureed flavored ingredients Milk (or white stock), to dilute Cream, to finish These methods were natural to large kitchens that always had quantities of Veloute and Bechamel sauces on hand. Making a soup was simply a matter of finishing off sauce.
Curdling Since cream soups contain milk or cream or both, curdling is a common problem. The heat of cooking and the acidity of many of the other soup ingredients are the cause of this curdling. Fortunately, there is one fact we can use to avoid curdling: roux and other starch thickeners stabilize milk and cream.
Recipe: Cream of Broccoli
Sweat the broccoli and Onions in butter in a heavy sauce pot until they are almost tender. Do not let them brown. Add the Veloute, simmer until the vegetables are tender. Puree in Mixer till smooth Adjust thickness with Milk or White stock, season to taste. At service time, add cream and Garnish. TO NOT RE-HEAT
Soups made from dried or fresh vegetables and then put through a sieve or food mill are known as 'puree soups ". Vegetables with high starch content or potatoes, rice and flour can be used for binding puree soups. Cream is used for enriching them. These soups are garnished with chives, parsley, or croutons. Basic Procedure for Making Puree Soups Sweat mirepoix or other fresh vegetables in fat. 2. Add liquid Add dried or starchy vegetables Simmer until vegetables are tender. Fresh vegetables should be completely cooked but not overcooked or falling apart. Puree soup in a food mill. Variation: Some soups made from dried legumes, such as bean soup, are not pureed but are served as is or slightly mashed up. Puree soups are generally not bound with an added starch but rely on the starches present in the vegetables. Some fresh vegetable purees, however, settle out. These may thickened with a little starch if desired. Add cream if required. Adjust seasoning.
Recipe: Puree of Yellow Split Pea Soup
Cook the Salt Pork slowly in a heavy pot to render the fat. Do not brown Add the Mirepoix and Sweat in the fat until slightly softened. Add Ham Bring to boil Rinse the Peas in cold water, add sachet, cover and simmer until the peas are tender. Pass the soup through a food mill Adjust consistency with little Water. Season to taste Culinary Terms: Sachet: A mixture of herbs and spices tied in a cheesecloth bag.
A bisque is a cream soup made with shellfish. 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 flavoring ingredients often used. Expensive to prepare and rich in taste, they are considered luxury soups.
Recipe: Crayfish Bisque
Sauté the Crayfish and mirepoix in fat until the Crayfish turn red. Add tomato and continue to sauté Flambé with Brandy Add the Wine and reduce Add Stock and simmer for 10 minutes Remove the tails of the crayfish and pound carcasses and put them back in the soup. Simmer for 1 Hour Bind the Soup with Rice Flour. Strain and thicken with egg yolks and cream (Liaison) Culinary Terms: Sauté - To cook quickly in a small amount of fat.
Chowders are chunky, hearty soups that are so full of good things that they sometimes are more like stews than soups. Many chowders are simply cream soups or puree soups that are not pureed or strained but left chunky. Like other specialty soups and regional soups, chowders resist being categorized. However, most of them are based on fish or shellfish or vegetables, and most contain potatoes and milk or cream. Chef Neuhold’s award winning New England Clam Chowder "WINNER OF THE BOSTON CHOWDER COMPETITION IN 1992
Recipe: Boston Clam Chowder
A Chowder needs time and tender care and is made in three steps; 1. Seasoned Salt Pork F at Mix 2lb of rendered Salt Pork with 4 oz of Garlic, 4 oz Onions, 4 oz Celery and 1 cup of Water and bring to boil, simmer for 1 -2 hours. Make sure Fat does not stick to the bottom of pan, and does not get any color. Strain, and keep in air tight jar 2. Clam Veloute Cook Fresh Minced Clams for 3-4 hours in Clam Juice, Vermouth and little Salt Once tender strain and keep separate. Make a roux with 1 cup of Fat and 1 lb of Bread flour, add Clam stock and cook for 1 Hour. Stain make sure Veloute is very smooth. Sauté 1 lb each of Celery, Onions, Bacon, Leek in little fat, add to Veloute Cook 2 lb of Diced Potatoes al dente. Bring to simmer and cool over night. 3. Clam Chowder Mix 2 qt. of Veloute with 2 qt. of Fresh Cream bring to boil, season with Salt, Cayenne Pepper and White Pepper, add 1 lb of Butter and Serve immediately. To not re-heat!
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 region
Specialty soups are distinguished by unusual ingredients or methods, such as Turtle Soup, Gumbo, Chicken Coconut Soup, Peanut Soup, 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, Vichyssoise are simply cold versions of basic clear and thick soups.
Recipe: Chicken Gumbo
Sauté’ diced Vegetables Add rest of ingredients, Simmer for ½ hour Season
Culinary Terms: Dice: To cut food into one-eight inch cubes.
Recipe: Thai Chicken Coconut Soup
Place ingredients in a small soup pot and bring to a boil slowly. Do not cover pot. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes
Add the scallions, cilantro and chilies, lower heat to just below boil, and simmer for another 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat add Lime juice and fish sauce to taste
Recipe: Chilled Gazpacho
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until liquefied. Add Salt, Pepper and Cayenne Pepper to taste. Garnish: Cut Onions, Cucumbers and Green Pepper into small dice Culinary Terms: Gazpacho; A cold Spanish soup made of pureed raw vegetablesDice: To cut food into one-eight inch cubes.
Recipe: CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Wash Chicken thoroughly in cold water, place in cold chicken stock and boil slowly for 50 minutes Remove chicken and strain stock Cut Chicken meat into 1 inch chunks Sauté Onions, Garlic, Carrots, Celery in Oil Add Stock and Seasoning Simmer for 10 minutes Add Chicken Meat and Boiled Noodles Adjust seasoning Garnish: Fresh Tarragon or Chives Culinary Terms: Dice: To cut food into one-eight inch cubes. Sauté - To cook quickly in a small amount of fat. Stock; A clear, thin liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, and fish, and their bones, and from vegetables and seasonings. Boil: To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling rapidly, about 212 F ( 100 C ) Simmer: To cook in water or liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 to 200 F (85 to 93 C)
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Stocks